Songbird
by Phantom of The Bandroom
Summary: Odette's family is bigger than she thought, and the feud between her family and her enemies runs deeper than she could have imagined. But when asked to protect the last person she thought she would meet, can she rise to the occasion?
1. Chapter 1

"A betrothal?" Princess Gwen repeated the horrible word. Her father had just given her the news that the very phenomenon that so many girls of her rank and age feared was going to happen to her.

"I thought you knew…" King William said, sure she had heard about it already.

"I had heard rumors, but… A betrothal, Father?! Really?"

"There's no need to be upset, Gwen. It's for your own good."

"Upset?!" Gwen could feel her face flush in anger. "Upset doesn't _begin_ to describe how I feel!"

"The marriage won't be for a few years. You'll have time to prepare."

"Prepare for what?"

"Well," William began, thinking the answer would be obvious, "for marriage, Gwen."

"The first step in preparation of marriage is to find someone _you _want to marry," she replied smartly.

William felt foolish for thinking Gwen would not turn his answer back on him. "Enough. I will not argue this with you, Gwen. This will benefit you, I promise. It's a difficult thing to do, but it is necessary. You'll understand someday."

"No… I don't think I will."

Gwen took a few steps back before completely turning around. She exited her father's study with her head held high, although she could not have felt lower.

At sixteen years old, Gwen was probably every bit as intelligent as any king, making her a rare gem in the eyes of many royals, both of her county and from other kingdoms.

So it was no surprise that she'd gotten offers for marriage. In fact, it wasn't uncommon for the prospective husbands to ask her directly.

But for her father to suddenly decide who she needed to marry… well, _that_ was strange. Usually, he trusted her instinct and intelligence. Why was today any different?

She thought about this on the way to her room.

Had she been given the chance to argue her point to her father before he promised her to some man she didn't know, maybe she could have convinced him to reconsider. She was a persuasive, independent individual, after all. Surely that counted for something?

"But apparently, it doesn't," she whispered to herself in anger.

At last, she reached the sanctity of her room. It felt like a paradise in the middle of a vast, barren desert as she closed the door, finally free to allow the stoic mask she wore as a face drop.

She did not cry. Her anger was simply too great to allow that.

The more she thought about it, the more she didn't like her situation as a whole, not just the betrothal in itself.

She was a princess, and although that meant she had the power of royalty, it also meant that, for the rest of her life, her father or her husband would make her decisions for her. Even if they had the best of intentions, she knew she would not like that.

No, that kind of life simply would not do.

"And there lies the conundrum," she said, drumming her fingers on the wood of her bureau in thought.

She had no idea what to do. On one hand, her life, her responsibilities were inescapable. On the other, there had to be a way out.

Frustrated, she paced around her room, glancing out her window at the full moon that shone into her room. There was a bit of mystery and romance to it, she thought.

Gwen loved the night. The sounds of a sleeping world filled her with a sense of quiet joy. Even at the worst of times, it helped her think.

Eureka.

She smiled suddenly. "A lack of roads did not stop new cities from being built. I'll simply have to make my own path, my own way out."

She pulled a small piece of paper from her drawer. From another, she drew a quill and a bottle of ink.

She left two words for the ones who would discover her absence:

"Forgive me."

Silently as the night she so greatly admired, she slipped out of the window, something she had been doing for years since she was a child, and stole away from her life as a princess, leaving everything behind.

"It is a difficult thing to do," she said, repeating her father's words as if she was speaking to him, "but it is necessary. You'll understand someday."

_Twenty-two Years Later…_

It was a clear, hot summer afternoon when Odette was staring thoughtfully out the window, silent even as the rest of the world bustled by. She hadn't been talking very much that day and it was very apparent Derek that something was on her mind.

"Is something bothering you, Odette?" he caringly asked, wrapping an arm around her waist and drawing her closer to him.

She was slow to reply, trying to sum up everything that was on her mind into one sentence.

"I was thinking that… since things have settled down, I should go to my father's castle and sort things out."

Odette wasn't asking permission so much as she was informing Derek of how she wanted to spend what little free time they had. It wouldn't be long before some new catastrophe pulled them away from their interests, Odette was sure. So, she wanted to at least look into her father's old things, just to see if anything would be of interest or use.

Of course, she didn't have any particular possible uses in mind, but lately, she'd been missing him, something she hadn't had time to do since the night he was killed. And even after Rothbart was killed, one thing after another seemed to happen, like falling dominoes. Odette had never imagined she'd be so busy in all her life.

Knowing all this, Derek nodded in agreement. "When would you like to go?"

"Soon," Odette replied. "I'd like to go before…"

She wasn't exactly sure how to finish that sentence.

"The next big crisis?" Derek offered, smiling a little. Although he wasn't being serious, there was certainly truth in jest.

She smiled. "If that's how you want to put it, then yes, before the next big crisis."

Derek nodded. "Alright. We can have a ship ready for next week, if you like."

"I'd like that very much."

"Then that's what I'll do. I'm glad we can finally have time to ourselves now," he said thoughtfully. "I don't care what we do, as long as we do it together."

He kissed her on the cheek and left the room without another word.

Odette lovingly watched him go;, glad to have someone that was so sensitive to her feelings.

She turned to the window and smiled as a robin chirped on a tree branch outside.

**I apologize for the brevity of the first chapter, but it is very late, and I think cramming anything else into the first chapter would only serve to confuse me – a very easy task at this hour. So, enjoy and review. Thank you.**

**The Phantom **


	2. Chapter 2

With one week before their departure, Odette and Derek wasted no time in getting ready. Arrangements were made, supplies were packed, and goodbyes – mostly to Derek's mother – were said. All loose ends were tied up before they ever had a chance to unravel.

"But- but… when will you be back?" Rogers asked, frazzled at the thought of Derek and Odette leaving, and even more nervous about where they were going. He, for one, believed that the crown prince and princess should work diligently to keep the kingdom in check, not disappear for an undisclosed amount of time.

"We're really not sure," Derek replied, relaxed.

"What about all the time you'll-"

"We'll what, Rogers?" Derek asked, knowing that the old lord had stopped short for a reason. "Waste?"

"Well…"

"Rogers, Odette needs this. She needs to get away. She hasn't had time mourn her father properly even though it's been two years. And that's not just because of The Forbidden Arts. It's also because you and I have been so wrapped up in getting this kingdom up and running that she's been forced to hold back her emotions. Now, I ask you, is that really fair?"

Rogers nodded in understanding, seeing Derek for the wise man he had become. "I understand."

"Good," Derek said, "because you're in charge until I get back."

"And what about me?" a voice behind Derek asked. "What am I supposed to do?"

It was, of course, Uberta.

Derek sighed.

"We won't be gone too long, Mother," he said.

Derek held back a full-fledged groan as Uberta did the dreaded 'lip thing.'

But Derek was not a little boy anymore, and it simply would not work.

"Mother…"

Uberta's overreaction became more intense.

Trying to avoid speaking daggers to the old woman, Derek remained calm and spoke clearly so that his words would not have room for misunderstandings.

"Mother, we won't be gone too long, I promise. But Odette wants to go, and I'm not going to say she can't because there are too many obligations here. Someone else will just have to worry about them for a little while. Everything will be fine. And you'll be fine too. This is for Odette."

Derek's words were firm, and Uberta dropped the act. She loved her son and daughter-in-law, to be sure – perhaps a little too much, if one were to ask Derek – but she didn't like what they were going to do, a feeling she tried to keep hidden.

As Derek thought about it, ever since he explained to her and Rogers what he and Odette planned on doing, they had been acting strangely. Rogers was more demanding of Derek's time than usual, and Uberta became even more clingy. They both acted as if they didn't want them to go. But why would they want to stop him and Odette?

He briefly considered asking them why, but he let it go, attributing it to an overactive imagination.

After making an excuse to get away, he went outside for some air. Some days, the castle, even in all its magnitude, seemed so small, especially when everyone was trying to get his attention at once.

But seeing Odette's smile when he agreed to go back to her old castle was well worth having to deal with everyone else's whining. She was the most important thing in his life, and nothing could change that.

He walked over to Swan Lake, to the spot where Odette had led him the night he learned of the spell that had been put on her. There to meet him, though unexpectedly, were Speed, Jean-Bob, and Puffin.

"What's troubling you, Derek?" Puffin asked, seeing the slightly irritated look on his face.

"Nothing. I don't suppose you're upset with me for leaving too, are you?"

Jean-Bob scoffed. "Rushing off again… Sure, sure, it's perfectly alright that you act on a whim and go to a faraway place."

Derek rolled his eyes. "I'm not rushing off…"

"Forget him," Puffin said.

"Yeah," Speed said, "I'm alright with you're leaving. Doesn't bother me."

"Why would it bother us?" Puffin asked.

Derek shrugged. "Everyone's just so… excitable. The instant they hear that Odette or I am about to do something that's even slightly out of the ordinary, everyone just seems to go crazy."

"Maybe they just miss you," Speed suggested.

Speed was, without question, a loyal friend, but he was very mellow and easy going. He would act bravely during times of trouble, but he made sure never to stir up trouble in the first place. This was why his answers were often very simple.

And although it may not have been true in this case, Derek was alright with accepting the simple answer.

"Maybe you're right."

XxX

The trip home was nice – save for the sailing part, which she never enjoyed.

Seeing her home for the first time in a little over two years was strange. The very place brought back a flood of memories.

The first thing she did as Derek handled the luggage and rested was visit her old room. She'd left a few things in there, and there was one thing in particular that she wanted: a ring.

But not just any ring. This ring bore her family crest, and was something her father had given to her just before they left to visit Derek. She could almost hear the words he spoke when he gave it to her.

"_Whatever happens, I don't want you to forget yourself and who you are. Whether you marry Derek or not, I want you to know that I will support your decision now and all the ones you will make for the rest of your life." _

His words meant the world to her, and she wondered why he was being so open minded. But she pushed that thought aside and turned her attention to what she would pack for her trip to see Derek for what she hoped was the last time.

Sure that she and Derek were still on two different levels, she left the ring in her room, certain that she would come back and get it very soon.

However, fate, as she quickly learned, had different plans, and the ring was the last gift her father had given her, making it that much more special.

Having finished that, she went to her father's private study, where he did most of his work. She remembered the busy days when he would lock himself inside all day and come out looking work-worn and exhausted. And she remembered the way his face would light up when he saw her, as if he remembered why he did everything he did.

Although a grown woman now, Odette felt a little like a naughty child as she opened the door. The room had been virtually untouched, judging by the dust that had settled. It was no surprise that no one had cleaned it, since King William had decreed that it was off limits to everyone.

Fortunately, he was a very neat and tidy man, and everything had a proper place, making identifying everything very easy for Odette.

She combed through everything in her father's study carefully, making sure important records were kept secure, getting rid of old things that had no use, and looking at things of interest. Her father didn't usually allow her inside when she was growing up – not that she had much interest in looking through his belongings.

It was different this time. He was gone. The only parent, the only family, she had ever known was gone, and she missed him terribly. Seeing his handwriting, imagining his voice while reading his words, and just knowing that he had left his mark on everything she held in her hands made her feel that much closer to him.

She was so preoccupied by the work that she didn't notice Derek enter the room. Opting not to disturb her, he looked through the less personal items, not really interested, but trying to give himself something to do that would not bother Odette.

While searching about her father's desk, Odette found several journals. She gasped in surprise when she saw them, sitting in a drawer, untouched.

Concerned, Derek looked over at her. "Something wrong?"

"No… I just found my father's journals," she answered distantly as she opened them, thumbing through the pages, reading things that were of interest. She could almost hear his voice as she skimmed over the words.

She sat down behind his desk, continuing her trek through her father's thoughts. Her eyes suddenly caught on the words "my daughter." Expecting it to be something about her, she read on, curious to know why her father had mentioned her.

But the sentence wasn't about her.

The whole paragraph wasn't about her. The whole page wasn't about her.

She stared for a moment.

Again concerned, this time by the sudden stop of the sound of pages turning, Derek asked if everything was alright.

"I have a sister…" Odette said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"What?"

Derek stepped over several piles and crates of books and documents that Odette had moved earlier. After avoiding tripping over the items, he moved behind her and read silently over her shoulder as she read aloud from the journal.

"'My daughter, Gwen, has been increasingly impatient with me. I think she knows that I plan to have her betrothed. I know it must be difficult for her to accept, but it must be done, not only for the kingdom, but for her.'"

Odette stared at the page even after she finished reading it, still in shock.

"Who is Gwen?" Derek asked, voicing the question that was on both of their minds.

"I don't know. Father never mentioned her."

"It seems like he would do more than mention her, if she was his daughter."

"I know…"

Odette backtracked through the journals, working her way through the earlier volumes. As she looked through them in closer detail, she found that Gwen was mentioned many times. As she quickly figured the numbers in her head, she found that Gwen was about eighteen years older than her.

After finding everything she could about Gwen's early years, she went forward, looking in the journal entries after the first one she found about her sister.

There was nothing of great importance mentioned about her until about a week later, when her father, who was probably very upset, judging by the unusually messy handwriting on the page, made a long entry. As she skimmed through the page, Odette found what the cause of her father's sadness was.

"_Gwen has run away. We argued this morning, and when I thought she had gone to her room to sulk, she must have left. She hasn't taken any of her things, but I don't think she'll come back of her own will any time soon. I didn't realize how she would take the news of being betrothed, but I should have guessed that she wouldn't be happy with me. _

_I sent guards out to search for her, and I even went myself, just to make sure they didn't miss anything, but there's no sign of her._

_Daphne couldn't be angrier with me, although she tries to hide her frustration. She blames me for this and I agree with her. This is my fault and my responsibility to fix. Imagine, all this trouble even after she explicitly told me how to avoid it. I cannot name a day when she didn't say 'don't betroth her, she won't take it well.' Why didn't I listen? _

_How could I have pushed my daughter away?"_

Looking back at the date of the entry, Odette realized that it was a little more than two years before she was born. She would have known sooner, had she not been so sure that the 'daughter' her father had been writing about was her.

But then… Daphne… The name was certainly familiar… but who…?

Odette searched her memory for a woman named Daphne.

It took her a moment to realize who the mystery woman was, but when she did, she was filled with a sense of guilt and embarrassment.

How could she have forgotten her own mother's name?

True, her father didn't talk about her, and neither did anyone else, for that matter. Still, she should have known.

Of course, it would only be natural that King William didn't talk about her mother, simply because he missed her so greatly that speaking about her was painful. Although Odette didn't understand when she was younger, she could see why bringing up Daphne would hurt so much.

But why did no one say anything about Gwen? Talking about her would be painful, to be sure, but saying nothing at all was just strange.

As she read on, Odette found that Gwen had completely disappeared, the only record of her being her father's memories that he had written down in the journal she now held in her hands. He wrote about her frequently. He missed her so much that there were few entries that didn't mention her. He was hard on himself for trying to force her to marry a stranger.

Over time, his pain faded, as evidenced by Gwen's less frequent appearances in William's journals. However, less than two years later, a new pain took place, dulled, but only slightly, by a great joy.

Odette had been born, but at no small price. Daphne died during childbirth, something that William never truly got over. Odette, of course, had her share of pain from the loss as well. Growing up without a mother was the most difficult experience she had to face as a child. But thanks to Uberta, the pain was somewhat eased during those summer months when Odette was visiting.

The hours passed by without Odette's notice. She enlisted Derek's aid in finding out more about Gwen. He read everything after she ran away while Odette read everything before.

Their tireless research into Odette's now more mysterious past carried on into the night.

Strangely enough, the only sound Odette noticed during her toil was the chirping of a robin.


	3. Chapter 3

Many long hours passed before Odette could finally force herself to stop looking at her father's journals. Every word her father had written down teemed with interesting thoughts, but she was getting quite a headache, and Derek was falling asleep – not that she could blame him; it was very late at night, after all.

"So, have you found anything?" she asked through a yawn.

"Yes, but there's a lot," Derek cautioned. "I think you should share what you've found first."

"There's not much. Father must have loved very much, though. He wrote about her often."

"What did he say?"

"Well, she looked like my mother, and since I do too, according to everyone I talk to, we must look alike. She was brave and adventurous, but she never did like being a princess, which is another thing she probably got from my mother – she wasn't a fan of being royalty either. Gwen was also very headstrong, and she had a lot of opinions that differed from Father's."

"She certainly sounds like your sister. There are a lot of similarities."

Odette nodded, not really wanting to agree with that statement quite yet. "What have you found?"

"First of all, King William never did find her. She completely disappeared until about two years after she ran away, when one of his soldiers attended his friend's wedding, and the bride looked an awful lot like Gwen."

"Did my father go to her?"

"No. In fact, he even gave a reason why he didn't: 'Wherever she is, I'm sure she's happy, and I won't ask her to leave the family she is only just starting. Although there has been a lot of grief – on both sides, I'm sure – I think she made the right decision for herself.'"

Odette sighed. "I suppose that was good of him. But I wish I would have at least known about her."

Derek read from one of the entries written a few days after Odette was born. "'I don't think I will tell Odette about Gwen, not because I don't want her to know that I failed, but because I want to start anew with her. I don't want her to feel like she's living in Gwen's shadow. That would not be fair to her."

"It's like I've been lied to," Odette muttered. For the moment, Odette resigned herself to her exhaustion and the fact that trying to pour through every bit of information in one night would get her nowhere. "I'm going to bed."

"I'll be there soon," Derek said. "I'm not that tired quite yet."

Odette knew he was more exhausted than he let on, but she left him alone. In fact, she was kind of glad to have a few moments alone, away from her father's journals. As she thought about it, she realized that Derek was probably letting her have some space on purpose. Once again, she was thankful for his thoughtfulness.

Derek, feeling sorry for Odette, stayed behind and gathered everything onto the desk. Then, he found some fresh paper, a quill, and a few jars of ink. With everything gathered, he began to work.

He started by writing down every description about Gwen he could find. Then, he worked through the journals, finding every clue that might lead to where she might have disappeared to. Because Odette had asked for a progress report before he finished reading everything, he found more than e expected.

Many places had been eliminated, and others had been reasoned away. King William, by the time Odette was about twelve, had formed a good idea of where Gwen was. All that remained was to find her, something he did not want to do, for both Gwen and Odette's sake.

But he found one more unexpected thing. A source he referred to only as 'a little bird' had told him that Gwen had a child, a girl. Derek sighed. The last thing that this story needed was more complications. He wondered how Odette would take the news.

"I'll tell her tomorrow," he said to himself.

As he made the lonely trek through the dark hallways to the room he and Odette were staying in, Derek thought more about his mother and Rogers' reactions to the news that he would be leaving. He also thought about how Uberta and William had been friends for a long time, before he and Odette were even born…

So it only made sense that Uberta would know about Gwen. And that was probably also why she was acting so strangely before. Rogers was probably aware of what had happened too, considering the number of years he had worked for Derek and his family.

He sighed. He and Odette had really opened a can of worms.

But after living in an Ivory Tower for so long, all the information they had gathered would certainly seem like a flood. The mere thought of it all and what King William must have gone through exhausted.

And then there was what Odette was going through.

All her life, she had been lonely. Granted, he had no siblings, and his father died before he could remember him, but Derek never felt alone in the world. It seemed like there was always someone, either Bromley or Rogers, when he needed them. Bromley was his best friend while Rogers acted as a father figure.

Odette had no one like that. And with the way he had treated her when they were young, it was no surprise that Odette grew up lonely.

This is why Derek hoped to find Gwen. He hoped they could be sisters and friends and Odette could have some part of her family back, after thinking she had lost the last member when Rothbart murdered William.

And then there was Gwen's daughter, Odette's niece. King William never wrote down a name for the girl. By now, she would be about fifteen.

Derek felt like his head was spinning with new information and strange revelations. But, for Odette, he would find Gwen and her daughter. He vowed to do that for his love.

XxX

Meanwhile, Odette couldn't seem to get Gwen off her mind, even as she slept. Her sister's name ran across her mind over and over again.

Strangely enough, there was also a robin that seemed to flit in and out of her dreams, like it was trying to give her a message. There was something important about the little songbird, but, when she awoke in the middle of the night, Odette couldn't seem to put her finger on it.

In any event, Odette was determined to find Gwen, the last remaining member of her family, save for herself. After feeling alone for so long, finding her long lost sister was like a mission she needed to fulfill as soon as possible.

XxX

Back at Swan Lake, Uberta couldn't sleep at all. Thinking about what Derek and Odette were probably finding out - or had already found out – upset her.

The sound of an opening door interrupted her thoughts. It was Rogers with a cup of peppermint tea.

"Are you thinking of Derek and Odette?" he asked as he handed her the cup.

She nodded in thanks and took a sip. "Yes… Do you think they know?"

"About…?"

"Gwen, Rogers. What else?"

"Without a doubt," he said. "Derek reads everything he gets his hands on and Odette has a knack for getting into trouble. I imagine they know all about Gwen."

Uberta grimaced. "Gwen was not 'trouble,' Rogers. At least not the type Odette finds. She's a person, Odette's sister. It was wrong to hide her memory from Odette."

"King William asked us to…"

"And Derek asked you not to tell Odette about Rothbart's notes, remember? And if you remember that, then I assume you remember what became of that. I'm not saying that William didn't have the best of intentions at hear. On the contrary, I know he did it for Odette. He had good reasons. However, he should have told her. Reading about it in his journals will only serve to upset her."

Rogers sighed. "Odette will want to find her."

"I know."

"And Derek will ask us about her."

"I know."

"Then… what should we do?"

"It would be pointless to keep the truth from them, considering they already know. I'm sure Derek's already angry with me for not telling him or Odette."

"And he kept secrets from Odette…" Rogers muttered.

"He would be angry with me for Odette's sake," Uberta replied. "He's learned well from that mistake, and he doesn't want anyone else to hurt Odette by doing the same thing."

"He's grown protective of her."

"Very."

XxX

Odette and Derek both slept late into the next day. They spent what little time there was left of the morning together, and before noon, they were headed back to King William's study.

Just as Odette put her fingers on the door's handle, Derek stopped her.

"Wait," he said. "There's something you should know before you go in."

She stared at him for a moment, almost afraid of what he was going to say.

"Odette, Gwen had a daughter."

"Then I have a niece too?"

Derek nodded.

Without another word, Odette went into the study. She sat down behind her father's desk.

"Let's get to work."


	4. Chapter 4

Getting everything sorted out took days of diligent work. There was nothing too difficult, but all the paperwork just seemed to be endless. There were things left neglected in his absence that Odette had to fix herself. But her overall goal was worth the toil. Everything she did brought her a step closer to finding Gwen. And that made her want to work harder.

King Wiliam's records were worked through and organized. His office was cleaned and all the clutter was done away with. And with that finished, Odette could focus on other things.

There was one thing that bothered her. There was a fair amount of money that went out every month to an undisclosed recipient. Although it made Odette feel uneasy, her intuition told her not to cancel the transaction. There was something important about it.

After the first day, Odette chose to not work on finding Gwen until everything else was finished. And when everything was finally done, it was too easy to go back to reading her father's journals, trying to find the stranger that was her sister.

Of course, it was all easier said than done.

Odette felt like she was ready to meet Gwen, but she was not ready for the work. The technical and financial things that had been keeping her busy before were nothing compared to what finding Gwen was going to take. There were so many questions left unanswered, so much missing information that she needed.

She made notes and checked and double-checked, trying to find where her sister would have gone. And even after all the time and effort she put into finding Gwen, the results were inconclusive.

A disappointment, to be sure, but Derek still had an ace up his sleeve.

He had his mother and Rogers, both of whom would know everything. Now, Uberta would take some coaxing to talk, but Rogers would be duty-bound to tell Odette and Derek everything.

Odette felt foolish for forgetting about them when Derek said this.

"Do you think they know where she is?" she asked.

"I don't know," Derek admitted. "But they might have an idea, at the very least. So, when we're finished here, we can ask them."

Odette nodded in agreement. "I think we've gotten everything else sorted out. I'll start putting things back if you'll make arrangements to go home."

"Of course."

As Derek left, Odette thought twice about putting her father's journals back in his desk.

"They could prove useful later," she said to herself.

She stacked them near the door – she'd have them packed later – and looked around for any that she might have missed. As she picked one up, she noticed that it was heavier than the others and that there was something in the pages in the middle of the journal.

Opening it to the page that held the obstruction, Odette found a key with a note hastily jotted down next to it.

"_I've locked away some of Gwen and Daphne's things. Odette's curious nature will doubtlessly lead her to the trunk they are in, but hopefully this key will stay out of reach until she is ready." _

"I'm ready," Odette said, "more than you'd ever thought I'd be."

In the past few days, Odette hadn't been able to decide whether or not she was angry with her father. While she wished he would have told her about Gwen and talked about Daphne a little more, she could understand why he didn't.

But judging by the note saying 'until she is ready,' he might have been planning to explain everything. Odette was immediately angry with Rothbart once more for taking away the last link to her family – the last link she actually knew, that is.

She hoped Derek knew how lucky he was, to still have his mother and not miss his father, who had died of illness before Derek was old enough to remember him. There was no mystery to his family – he had a few uncles and aunts and some cousins, but no one he didn't know about.

Odette, however, was practically drowning in the drama that was her family and her past.

Tired of her own self-pity, she picked up the key and went to the bedroom that was adjacent to hers.

She always liked this room, as it had a great view of the countryside, especially in the winter, when the leaves of the mighty oak that stood outside the window had been shed. Although she liked it so much, her father never let her have it for reasons he never did explain.

However, she had been in it many times. And she knew the trunk her father had written about was there. Now that she had the key, there was more attracting her to the room than the view.

Immediately finding what she was looking for, she unlocked the trunk and stared down at her sister's diaries.

Her hands were trembling as she picked them up. She hardly knew where to begin.

At the bottom of the trunk, Odette found the note she had left behind the night she ran away.

The two words that had been written on it echoed in her mind.

"_Forgive me."_

Was that really all she had to say for herself? Odette was a bit disappointed. But it did show that Gwen regretted the decision she was about to make.

"I wonder if she'll be happy to see me," Odette thought aloud.

"Anyone would be," Derek said from the door.

Odette turned and smiled at him.

"My father wasn't the only one who kept diaries," she said, holding up one of the volumes. "But I'll read these on the way home. I don't think they'll help me find her, but I will be able to learn more about her."

Derek smiled. "We can leave in two days."

XxX

Going home was easy for Odette. Although she was determined to find Gwen, she was ready to go back to Swan Lake. It had become symbolic of everything she and Derek had fought for, and being distant from it made her feel distant from him.

Truth be told, she felt bad for dragging him into the mess with her family. But when she said this, he politely insisted that it was no trouble. As she thought about it one morning, she felt a little guilty. At the moment, he was doubtlessly talking to Rogers, looking for information.

She wondered why he was being so helpful. Of course it was because he loved her, but there had to be some other reason. Odette thought that he might have been still feeling guilty about everything that had happened from the time when they faced Rothbart to the time Zelda held Odette for ransom.

But a full year had passed since then.

Surely he still wouldn't be feeling bad about it? And if so, did he know that he had been forgiven a long time ago?

Whatever his reason, she was glad he was on her side.

She made a mental note to be sure to do something nice for him when everything was over.

"For now, I need to talk to Uberta."

Odette used the few moments' walk from her room to the courtyard, where Uberta liked to spend summer days sipping peppermint tea, to prepare her thoughts and questions. She had to remind herself not to be angry, since it was her father's wish that Gwen be kept a secret.

Seeing Uberta sitting alone made Odette feel a little more at ease. She was glad to have a one-on-one talk without other people listening.

"Good morning," Odette said as she sat down.

"Good morning," Uberta returned. She knew exactly what Odette wanted to talk about. Although she felt bad about keeping the secret for so long, she was hesitant to tell Odette everything now. There was just so much...

"I was wondering…" Odette began. Not wanting to dawdle with her questioning, she cut to the chase and asked what was on her mind. "I was wondering if you knew Gwen."

"Yes, I did. That was a long time ago."

"I know. Do you know where she went?"

"For a while, she disappeared, but there were sightings of her all over. Most of them were here. Then, there was a wedding. One of the soldiers married, and one of King William's men attended the wedding…"

"And said the bride looked like Gwen," Odette finished.

Uberta nodded. "Exactly. The wedding took place not too far from here. It was a small affair from what I've heard. Then, about five years later, Gwen had a daughter. And I've heard nothing since."

"Do you have any idea where she lives?"

"On your father's insistence after you were born, I asked no questions. But I have heard that there is a cottage to the east, about an hour away. It may be worth looking at. It's alone, with no neighbors for miles."

"The perfect place for a princess who is laying low."

"I'm sorry that I could not tell you, Odette," Uberta said apologetically. "I wish William would have had the wisdom to know that you would find out about Gwen, and the confidence to know that you would be able to handle it."

"I can't say that I blame him," Odette replied thoughtfully, trying to see both sides. "I can understand his actions, but, for now, I can say that I would act differently. But if it happened to me, I don't know that I would."

"He wanted better for you and for himself. He was in so much pain, but he had to force himself out of it. Much like you did when he died."

"I miss him."

"We all do, dear. He was taken too soon."

Odette nodded, fighting tears. She and her father were very different in so many ways, and the same in so many more. And like her father, bringing up that caliber of loss was just too painful.

"Thank you for your help," she said as she stood up.

"Of course, Odette."

Not ready to talk to Derek quite yet, Odette went for a walk. A shadow passed over her. When she looked up to investigate it, it was that of Puffin, who was smiling at her.

"Hello, Princess!" he called from above.

"Hello," she greeted.

"Derek must be busy today. Haven't seen him at all."

"He's helping me find my sister."

"Sister?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"I think I'd remember if he did," Puffin said thoughtfully. "Unless I had a mighty bad bump on the ole' noggin between now and then."

"Well, I apparently have a sister that I didn't know about until I went back to my father's old castle. Derek and I have been trying to f since we found out about her."

"I hope you find her. Anything I can do to help?"

"Well, there might be one thing."

Odette described the cottage for Puffin.

"Think you can get a look at it?"

"Well, sure, Odette. Anything."

Before she had a chance to thank him, he flew off.

She was glad to have a friend in Puffin. He was always brave and true in times of trouble. Speed and Jean-Bob certainly had their good qualities, but without Puffin's courage and leadership, they wouldn't be nearly as close as they were.

For the second time that day, she felt blessed to have friends and loved ones who would so readily help her when she was in need.

XxX

A couple of hours later, as Derek and Odette were exchanging information - not that either one of them knew anything the other didn't - Puffin returned, panting excitedly.

"I think we've found her."


	5. Chapter 5

"You did?" Odette asked, her voice jumping up a octave in excitement. "How can you tell?"

"What? Found who?" Jean-Bob asked, still unaware of what was going on. Puffin continued to speak to Odette and Derek explained the situation to Jean-Bob and Speed.

"As I flew over, I saw a girl holding roses. She looked just like you."

Odette smiled. She loved roses.

"I couldn't get a close look at her though," Puffin said. "I didn't see her face. She disappeared inside the house before I could get close."

"The how do you know she looked like me?"

"She had a head of blonde hair, just like yours. And she even walked the same."

Odette couldn't contain her excitement. She was finally going to meet the sister that she had been so desperately searching for.

She was just about to turn to Derek, who, after he told the others what was going on, snuck off to the stable to get their horses. She was once again overwhelmed with gratitude when he walked over, reigns in hand.

"Let's go," he said, smiling.

XxX

During the entire trip there, Odette couldn't think of what she was going to say.

Seeing the troubled expression on her face, Derek was quick to comfort her. "You'll do fine."

She was glad for his confidence in her when she had none. He always seemed to know just what to say.

Well… except for that one time…

She smiled. "I love you, Derek."

"I love you too," he said.

Odette thought about something at that moment.

There would always be moments in her life when she was headed into what would surely be a difficult situation, and handling them alone never made it easier. Even with the help of friends, some of those moments were almost impossible to get through.

But with Derek, nothing was impossible. Looking back on how he changed for her and how she grew stronger in mind and heart for him, she was sure that there would never be a moment she couldn't get through. With him at her side, she was invincible.

But she was, by no means, fearless.

As she approached her sister's house, she could feel her heart thudding in her chest in excitement.

Before Odette could think of what she was going to say, a teenaged girl approached them. For a moment, Odette had to convince herself that she was not looking into a mirror. The girl looked just like her when she was fifteen, the only difference being that this girl had green eyes, not blue, and a few subtle differences in the bone structure of her face.

There was one more thing: this girl was absolutely tiny - slight in a way that Odette had never seen before. She was short and skinny. She was so small that Odette immediately knew that the girl was not well.

But there was something about her voice and her eyes. They had this vitality, this energy, that Odette had never seen in a person before. It was as if her mind and soul were trapped in a hindered body.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely just before her face went pale, losing all its already limited color to her own surprise. She looked as if she had just seen a ghost.

Odette, who was just as surprised as the girl, was the first to regain her senses. She dismounted and walked over, smiling a little to show that she was friend, not foe.

"I was looking for Gwen… Do you know her?"

Feeling for a moment that it was a stupid question, considering that this girl fit descriptions of her sister down to the last detail, Odette scolded herself internally for being so nervous. Although the girl was far too young to be Gwen herself, she was definitely related somehow, probably the daughter Odette had heard about.

She waited for an answer that seemed slow in coming.

"I am Robin, her daughter," the girl answered, confirming Odette's thoughts. There was a slight edge to her voice, one that wasn't threatening to Odette, but guarded, as if hiding some great pain. "Why do you want to see my mother?"

An awkward question, indeed, Odette thought. She struggled to find the words to answer.

"There is… I mean… Your mother is my sister."

Robin was stunned and unsure for a moment. She stared at Odette, not sure of what to say to the news.

Strangely, a slight breeze that gently moved her bangs from her eyes seemed to take away her suspicious expression. She looked at Odette with the expression of a person who had just been enlightened to some great secret.

For some reason, Odette could suddenly feel a presence in the air, as if someone was trying to give her a message. Once again, she heard the singing of robins nearby.

"You look like her… I find it difficult, impossible," she amended, her voice sounding more and more pained as she spoke, "not to believe you, but… I'm afraid you're too late."

Odette's heart nearly stopped. "Too late?"

"My mother died. Last year."

Odette stifled a gasp.

Strange and dissapointing that the one person Odette had worked so hard to see was gone.

Too late.

Derek, who had been nearby but silent thus far, took her hand and held it tightly.

"I'm so sorry," Odette whispered, talking to both herself and Robin, who was looking mournful just thinking about it.

Robin frowned for a moment, but her expression lightened as she tried to put on a brave face. "Thank you… I'm sure she would have liked to meet you. I think she missed her family, though she never mentioned any of them..."

Odette momentarily overcame her sadness and regret to speak to her newly found niece. Although they had only been talking for a few minutes, Odette felt a kind of love that only family could have. It was strange and sudden, but Odette realized that someone would have to step up and take care of Robin.

And who better than she?

"You said she died last year. Have you been alone all this time?"

Robin nodded.

Odette felt immense sympathy for her. Losing a parent was one thing, but living alone at only fifteen was something that Odette couldn't fathom.

"But what about your father?" Derek asked.

Robin was obviously more comfortable answering this question.

"He was killed in a war a long time ago. I don't even remember him. Until last year, it was just my mother and me."

Although Odette couldn't really understand why Robin didn't display the same grief about her father, Derek could. He lost his father when he was very young too, and not remembering him certainly aided in not missing him.

Odette and Derek looked around. After taking a closer look at everything, it was obvious that the house was in disrepair. There were a lot of things that a girl Robin's age couldn't possibly do by herself left undone.

"I've done okay for myself though," Robin said, trying to sound confident, but her tone failed when she realized that Odette and Derek knew better. She sighed. "I suppose it _hasn't_ been easy…"

"Listen, Robin," Odette began, speaking slowly, surprised at what she was about to say, "I don't want you to be alone, and I can't in good conscience leave you here by yourself. So… would you like to come with us?"

Robin was silent for a moment. "Thank you, but… It's a difficult offer to accept. I know that you're my mother's sister, in other words, my aunt. But this is… sudden. I need time, if you don't mind. I'll try to make my decision before tomorrow. So, if you'll come back then, I'll tell you."

Odette nodded. "I understand. It's your decision to make. We'll come back tomorrow. Whatever you choose, I want you to be happy."

XxX

A few minutes later, Robin watched them go. As awkward as the whole ordeal was, it was hard to watch them go.

A gentle breeze prompted her to awaken from her thoughtless gaze.

She walked over to her mother's grave and gently place a rose there.

"Strange conversation, eh?"

The wind blew again, this time toward the direction in which Derek and Odette left.

"What are you trying to tell me?" she asked quietly. "I can't go with them… I can't rely on other people. Not always."

Silence.

"I know I shouldn't be alone. I know. You've warned me about my body but I can't let myself be overcome by that alone. Then again, maybe if I hadn't been weak, you wouldn't have been killed."

The wind blew around her with such intensity that she regretted those words.

"I'm afraid. I'll admit it. She'll sound too much like you, look too much like you... I'll think she's you after a while, I swear!"

There was something in the wind, a voice. Robin wondered if she was merely imagining it, but she couldn't have. It just sounded so real.

"You won't forget me. I know you won't."

Whether it was her imagination or not, Robin chose to listen to the words.

"I'll go. I'll do what's best for me and I won't ever forget you. But only because you want it that way."

XxX

As promised, Odette and Derek returned the next day. Robin greeted them with a somewhat nervous, but kind, smile as Derek bid the carriage driver wait.

"I want to go with you," she announced, "if the offer still stands."

"Of course it does, and I'm glad you're going to live with us," Odette said, smiling. "Really, I am."

"So am I," Derek added. "I'll get your things for you, if you like."

"I've gotten most of my things gathered. There's not much."

"In that case," he said, "I'll let you two catch up."

"Catch up?" Robin repeated when he was out of earshot. "I like his choice of words."

"He's gotten better with that over the years," Odette replied, smiling. "You seem to be confident in your decision."

"Call me crazy, if you want, but I still feel like my mother is with me, always guiding me to do the right thing. That's why I feel good about this decision. It's something that I have to do for myself, and for her."

"That's not crazy," Odette assured her. "I think the same of my father."

"You lost your father too?"

"Two years ago. It was one of the most difficult summers of my life, but, with Derek's help, I got through it."

Robin nodded. "He's a good person. Anyone can see that."

"I'm lucky to have him."

"Yeah, and I feel kind of bad making him get all my things by himself. I'll help-"

As Derek was coming out of the house with a case of things, there was something moving out the corner of Robin's eyes.

Then, a light in the midst of a shadow in the woods.

Robin watched in stunned silence as a man on horseback rode towards her house, torch in hand. The sound of breaking glass and a sudden cloud of smoke billowing out of the window made her realize what was happening.

It had happened before.

"No!"

Derek jerked around to see what was happened. Just as Robin started to run past him to stop the man, Derek caught her.

"No," he said. "He'll hurt you."

Sometime in all the madness, the carriage driver joined them, sword drawn, and fiercly hoped the horseman wouldn't go their way.

"My mother's grave!" Robin yelled in anger and grief when she heard the smashing of stone.

As the whole house went up in flames, the man rode away. Robin looked to the ground and saw only the small trunk that had her things. Her eyes grew wide in realization.

She had left everything she intended to bring, intended to show Odette about Gwen.

Everything that reminded her of her mother.

She couldn't let it burn, couldn't let it be destroyed and forgotten about.

Breaking Derek's grasp, she ran towards the house. Recklessly ignoring the burning beams that were above her, she looked around for what she wanted.

There it was, at the far end of the house. She ran to get it, hoping to get it out of the house before it burned completely.

Somehow, she made it to about seven feet from the door and shoved the box the rest of the way outside, where it rested about six inches from the threshold.

Meanwhile, Derek and Odette had watched her go, but Derek was the first to act. He ran after her into the house. He saw her just about to get out, but her hand flew to her neck, and she ran back in.

He pushed the box away from the house so that their escape would be easier - tripping on a box in such a situation could prove fatal - and followed.

Seeing her fumbling with something on a table that already had a burning corner, he dodged a falling ember and tried to find some air that wasn't saturated in smoke.

"We have to get out!" he called to her above the roar of the flames.

"I'm coming!"

Just as she stepped toward him, part of the roof collapsed, pinning her under debris that was, fortunately, not on fire. Acting quickly, Derek pushed the rubble off of her and snatched her from the floor, noting that her hand was clenched tightly around something.

They made it out just in time. The whole house fell apart just as Derek put Robin down. He grabbed the box and they returned to Odette, soot smeared across both their faces.

Robin glared toward the house, shaking her head in anger. Soon, her whole body was quivering in rage.

"Coward!" she yelled, although the man was gone. "Coward! How could you do that?!"

She didn't cry, but some grief is beyond even that.

Then, a strange thing happened: she fainted. It was as if she couldn't handle her own anger.

And it was easy to see why. As weak as she was, such a great anger took a greater toll on her body.

Odette and Derek were obviously alarmed, but their fears where eased a few moments later when Robin came to. She blinked a few moments to clear her head and figure out where she was.

"Are you alright?"Odette asked.

"Yeah," Robin said tiredly. "It just happens when I get overwhelmed. It's like my body's way of telling me to calm down before… well, before something bad happens."

"What was that?" Derek asked to no one in particular, staring at the house.

Robin answered unexpectedly.

"That was a warning."


	6. Chapter 6

"A warning?" Odette repeated. "About what?"

"Your majesties, we should leave," the carriage driver suggested, his voice shaking, "in case that madman decides to come back."

Derek nodded in agreement, ever the protective one. "Let's go."

They quickly loaded themselves into the carriage and rode off, the driver urging his horses to move as fast as they could go.

On the way, Robin explained as best she could about the 'warning.'

"There was once a barn behind the house. My father kept horses until he died. My mother sold them because we needed money. Anyway, about a week before my mother died, someone burnt down the barn and desecrated my father's grave. We didn't know who it was, and I never found out. To be honest, we thought it was just some vagabond… but things happened to close together for it to be that. I realized that after she died."

There was silence for a moment. Robin sighed, preparing herself to share the worst information of all.

"There is one more thing, if you haven't guessed already. My mother was murdered. I don't know who did it, or why, but whoever it was… he really hated her. And I just don't know why."

Odette could see a look in Robin's eye… the same one that she had when she talked about her father.

Robin had watched her mother's murder. She saw every bit of it, and she was now carrying that burden in her mind.

Odette knew that pain. She knew exactly how it felt to watch someone take her lone parent away from her forever. That was not something a person got over… ever.

"I'm sorry," Odette said quietly.

There was another moment of silence before Derek piped up.

"What did you go back into the house for?"

"Oh, right!" Robin exclaimed, realizing that her hand was still tightly grasping the prized possession that was almost lost in the fire. "This."

She held out a ring on a fine gold chain. At first, the ring seemed plain, but on closer inspection, Odette realized that it was the same as hers. It looked exactly like the one that her father had given her.

"I have one like that," she said, slipping the ring off her slender finger. "See?"

"So that's what this means…" Robin whispered, running her finger over the etched coat of arms. "Mother never did explain it, but she gave it to me. She said that if I kept it with me, I would always know who I am. I didn't think it was important at the time, but it makes sense now."

"My father said the same thing when he gave mine to me," Odette said thoughtfully.

Odette began to wonder if Gwen had hoped she would find Robin. It would make sense. What mother would want her daughter to live alone?

She pushed the thought away. Gwen probably wasn't clairvoyant and these weren't the strangest circumstances she'd ever been in. This was just chance… until she could prove otherwise.

"And the box?" Derek asked.

"My mother's journals," Robin replied. "She liked to write everything down. Anyway, I haven't read them, but I thought Odette… err… _Aunt_ Odette," Robin stumbled awkwardly over the word, "might like to read them."

Odette smiled. "Thank you. And, you don't have to call me 'aunt' quite yet. I know it's difficult."

"It's not that I don't believe it, it's just that it's hard to say."

"I know," Odette assured her. "It'll take getting used to, for both of us."

As Robin looked outside and up at the castle that they were quickly approaching, Odette could hear her whisper

"That's not the only thing."

XxX

Although her reservations about Swan Lake were clearly expressed on her nervous face, it was also easy to see the Robin's curiosity was insatiable. As Odette gave her the grand tour, Robin never stopped asking questions. Everything there was a mystery, and all mysteries had to be solved.

Odette admired Robin's inquisitive nature. Her father had always said that the person who asked questions would one day be the person with all the answers. Odette could see that in Robin. The girl embodied the statement.

The more she walked with Robin, the more Odette liked her. As bad as her life had been, she was putting her best foot forward, determined to rise above her pain. Odette wished she had that courage.

"And this," Odette said, opening a door, "is your room."

Robin took a few steps in and immediately fell in love with it. It was large and spacious, with several windows that allowed sunlight to pour into the room.

"I love it," Robin said, turning around to face Odette. "Thank you so much."

"It's no trouble," Odette replied. "I'm glad you like it. I'll leave you alone to get settled."

Robin was a little hesitant to be left alone in an unfamiliar place, but she put on a brave face. This was no time to be scared. There was simply no cause for it. She was safe and no longer alone.

"So why am I still scared?" she asked.

What had her mother said before?

Oh yes.

Robin could recall the day when her mother took her to the city to speak to a doctor about why she was so weak.

"_I know you're nervous," Gwen said, taking Robin's hand. "But it's for the best."_

"_But there's nothing wrong with me! I promise!" _

_Robin, eight years old at the time, had no idea how much smaller she was when compared to other children her age. She didn't realize at the time how sickly she looked and how worried about her Gwen was. _

"_Sometimes, when we're around new people in new places, we forget that they mean us no harm, and no harm will come to us. Nothing is scary when it becomes familiar."_

Robin missed those moments, those words of wisdom. They always made her feel a little blue.

"Still," she said, lifting her head up and shaking off her longing for her mother and the way things used to be, "I've got to be strong. I can't be afraid."

XxX

"Do you think she'll like it here?" Odette asked Derek when they were alone.

"Of course she will, Odette," he replied. "She already likes you."

"How can you tell?"

"For one thing, I bet you remind her of Gwen, and she'll love anything that does. But then, it's you. Your personality, your kindness. How can she not love that?"

"You give me too much credit."

He shrugged. "I don't think so. Did you have any second thoughts about bringing her here?"

"No, of course not."

"Not even knowing that some lunatic is after her?"

"I couldn't just leave her, Derek."

"That's my point. Even with her troubles, you accept her, and she's grateful for it."

"How do you know?"

"Because she's like you in more ways than you know. She has the same facial expressions, and she seems to have the same thought process."

"And you noticed all this?"

"Well, like she loves anything that reminds her of Gwen, I love anything that reminds me of you."

"So you love her too?"

"She's our niece."

Odette smiled. Once again, he proved himself to be good at saying the right thing at the right moment, having learned from his mistake.

But there was something he said that bothered her.

"The person that burned down her house, do you think he's after her?"

Derek nodded, serious now. "I have no doubt that she is in trouble. Whoever murdered her mother is now coming for her."

"But surely he won't find her here," Odette said hopefully. But she knew better. It Robin was anything like her, trouble would find her. It was almost a natural law that Odette and her family would attract any trouble or danger that could possibly arise. Fortunately, she had Derek to help her.

But, after her mother died and up until now, Robin had no one, and a year without someone looking after a person is a long time. Odette could hardly stand that summer when she was alone with Rothbart.

"Maybe, maybe not," Derek answered. "We can't know for sure."

Seeing the dejected look on Odette's face – it was clear that she didn't want to go through another tragedy – Derek tried to be more optimistic, if only for her sake.

"But we can look after her. We can certainly do that. And I, for one, will not allow any madman with a torch come after her."

Odette's smile quickly returned. She was filled with a profound gratitude for Derek at that moment. He wasn't the boy that she had walked away from the morning after a ball that went awry. He wasn't the young prince who became too involved with his work to pay attention to what was around him, nor was he the husband who hadn't learned the dangers of keeping secrets from his wife.

He was a man now. He had grown up, and he was showing it now more than ever.

She kissed him softly on the cheek in appreciation.

"Thank you so much, Derek. For everything."

He smiled. "There's nothing to thank me for, nothing that you don't deserve."

"I'm going to get Robin. I want to talk to her before dinner."

He nodded and watched her go.

"Anything for you, my love."

**I am terribly sorry about how long it took to update this story. But between band festivals, Quiz Bowl, and District Literary Rally (all of which I beasted at ;D) I've had my hands full. So thank you, dear readers, for your patience and thank you for reading and reviewing.**

**-The Phantom **


	7. Chapter 7

Although she wasn't sure what to say, Odette wanted to talk to Robin privately. They hadn't had a chance to talk alone since meeting, and Odette wondered if all the attention wasn't starting to take its toll on Robin. She certainly didn't want her niece to be uncomfortable in her new home.

Odette politely tapped on Robin's bedroom door.

"Robin? Are you there?"

After not hearing an answer for a few moments, Odette opened the door and walked in.

The room was empty and untouched.

Feeling her heart beating faster, quickly growing worried about Robin, Odette briskly crossed the room and went onto the balcony. Before she could panic, Odette found her.

There, leaning against the wall, napping as she soaked up some much needed sunlight, was Robin. Odette breathed a sigh of relief as she kneeled beside Robin and gently put her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Robin?"

Slowly, Robin blinked herself awake. She looked confused as she looked over to Odette, who was smiling a little.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"It's been an eventful day," Robin replied. "I guess I was just worn out."

"Should I have left you alone? Did I disturb you?"

"Not at all. Actually, I did want to talk to you."

"Good. That's what I'm here for." Odette took a seat by Robin. "I was wondering if you weren't feeling uncomfortable with all this attention."

Robin shrugged. "It hasn't bothered me. Not yet, anyway. It's a nice break from being alone all the time, I suppose."

Odette nodded. "I was just worried. I don't want you to be scared off or anything."

Robin smiled. "I'm not going to get scared off."

"I'm glad for that, because I already like having you here."

"I liked being here."

"You must miss Gwen an awful lot, to have stayed so long in your old home."

"I also had nowhere else to go. Where can a fifteen-year-old girl go when she's been orphaned by some madman? Nowhere. But, to be honest, I didn't want to leave. I always thought that if I didn't stay, I would lose that sense of closeness that I had after my mother died."

"Do you think the same now?"

"I feel her with me always. I feel her guiding me. I think she wanted me to come here with you."

Odette had felt the same way about King William since he died. Because of his spirit, she never gave up hope. It was regrettable that she didn't realize until after he died that he knew what he was doing when he encouraged her to marry Derek, even after he had lost Gwen in much the same way. However, there was a difference: Odette had a choice. She was free to make her own decisions.

Gwen didn't have that luxury, so long as she kept on the road of royalty that she had so begrudgingly travelled for so long. So, sick of being told what to do and heading in a direction she didn't like, Gwen made her own way, and, judging by Robin's love for her, she had made the right decision for herself.

Even knowing all this, Odette wished Gwen had stayed. She supposed that it was a selfish wish, but love is a sometimes selfish emotion. She felt a huge sense of regret over not knowing her elder sister.

Strangely enough, as she thought of this, Odette could hear a voice in her mind.

"_Watch over what is left of me."_

Odette couldn't decide if it was only her imagination, or the voice of Gwen asking her to watch over Robin.

As crazy as it would sound to anyone who didn't understand, Odette chose to believe that Gwen wanted her to keep Robin safe, something that Odette would have done without a request.

"You know," Robin said, breaking her thoughts, "I didn't bring those journals so that they would collect dust like they've been doing for the past year." She smiled. "Shall we take a look?"

Odette grinned. "Let's."

Robin led the way back into her room. They were had almost reached the desk where one of the servants had placed the box full of journals when Robin stumbled.

Odette was startled a moment – Robin seemed to have tripped on nothing. It was like her leg suddenly gave out.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine," Robin replied, obviously not telling Odette something. "Just clumsy."

Odette knew better. She knew there was something wrong. Whether it was her own intuition or the way Robin looked sickly, even as she acted like she wasn't, Odette knew.

But she brushed it off, sensing Robin didn't want to talk about it.

"Let's bring these to the library," Odette suggested. "The lighting is better for reading."

Robin nodded, suddenly looking exhausted.

Odette carried the box to where she and Derek, both adamant readers, spent most of their time. Since they were children, nothing pleased them more on a quiet day that sitting down with a good book. It often gave them something to talk about.

Placing the box in a far corner of the library, Odette motioned for Robin, who was starting to look a bit pale, to sit down.

Odette took a seat and took one of the volumes from the top of the stack. She opened it and began to skim over it when she realized that she was the only one reading. She looked up at Robin, who was looking stiff and uncomfortable in her seat.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Odette asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," Robin insisted. "But I was thinking… I'm not sure that my mother wanted me to read her thoughts… That is, I don't think I'm ready… I'll let you go through them and see what you think."

Odette wondered why Robin was suddenly so reluctant to read the journals, but she didn't press for an answer. Instead, she gently set the book down and stood up.

"If you don't want to do this right now, you don't have to, and I'm not going to make you watch while I read through your mother's diaries."

Robin sighed. "It doesn't feel right that I should do it… but I'm certain that there's something in those diaries for you."

"If that's how you feel, then I'll do this later. What would you like to do?"

"Too be honest, I'm a little hungry."

Odette looked over at a nearby grandfather clock and smiled. "Alright then. Dinner should be served soon. Let's go."

XxX

It seemed a good meal was what Robin needed most at the moment. After dinner, she immediately looked better – if only a little – than she had the day before.

Odette was glad to see Robin was more talkative than she had been earlier, but she couldn't help but wonder why she was so quick to change her mind about reading the diaries.

"Maybe she feels like she would be intruding on her mother's thoughts," Derek suggested as he was changing. It had been a long day, and he, Odette, and Robin had all decided to go to bed early.

Odette, who was already in bed, wasn't so sure that was it. "I don't think so. It was as if she was afraid of something."

Derek slid in next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close, as if the proximity would help him understand what she was thinking.

"Maybe… but afraid of what?"

"Well, have you ever read something that you didn't want to know? Like something terrible that happened to someone you loved."

Knowing that Derek, who hadn't suffered the loss of a love one – save for the temporary moments when he thought Odette had been taken from him – since his father died, (and even then, he couldn't possibly remember those days) probably wouldn't be able to relate to those feelings, she gave an example.

"If I had kept journals when I was with Rothbart, would you want to read them?"

He shook his head. "No. I don't think I could bear knowing what you were put through because of me."

"Because of you? Derek, do you blame yourself for what happened?"

"If I hadn't been so offensive that night, you wouldn't have left, and Rothbart wouldn't have captured you."

"I'm sure he would have found another way."

"All the same…"

"No, Derek," she said, adamant about her argument. "It's not 'all the same.' You can't go on beating yourself up for something that was bound to happen. I'm not going to say that I wasn't upset and disappointed in you, but I'm certainly not going to blame you for everything that happened that summer."

He sighed, but said nothing in response. He wasn't entirely blaming himself for what happened. In fact, he knew that Rothbart would be a problem sometime in his life, although he didn't know exactly how big of a problem the enchanter would turn out to be.

All this aside, he still felt that he could have at least saved Odette – and maybe even King William – some pain if he had not chased her off with his rudeness, however unintended it was.

To that day, he still could not believe how quickly the sky had darkened that day when a terrible storm blew through the kingdom, and he could not believe how terrible King William looked as he died.

Before he could work himself too far into depression, Odette spoke.

"I think Robin feels the same way you do. She doesn't want to know her mother's pain."

"And what pain might that be?" Derek asked, very interested in Odette's thoughts.

He wasn't the only one that had grown up. While Odette had always been an intelligent and kindhearted girl, she had become more attuned to people's feelings, making her very empathetic. Now that she was wiser, she knew how to use these traits to learn about the people around her.

And when she was in a pensive mood, Derek enjoyed hearing her thoughts. They always proved fascinating and insightful.

"Maybe it isn't pain," Odette said, amending her thoughts so that they would be a little more general. "Maybe she doesn't want to know why Gwen ran away. It doesn't matter, really. I just think that there are parts of Gwen's life that Robin doesn't think she's ready to know about quite yet, and I can't blame her. Look at me. I've spent two years after my father's death trying not to think about all the troubles he went through in life, and I didn't even have a clue as to what those troubles might have been."

Derek smiled. "You're brilliant, Odette."

XxX

Brilliant as she was, Odette couldn't sleep that night. With both Robin and Gwen on her mind, sleep just wouldn't come to her. Quietly, she got up and pulled a robe around her and left her room.

At first she had no idea where she was going. However, after a few minutes of wandering about the sleeping castle, she found herself heading to the library.

She sighed and headed over to the far end of the huge room where she put Gwen's journals.

She sat down, and, after going though the huge stack, she found the first volume.

Odette immediately found herself transfixed by her sister's life.

Since running away, Gwen found a job at a farm, where the farmer knew her face but, fortunately, could not remember where he had seen her. After living and working there for a few years, she ran into a soldier in King William's army. She promptly fell in love with him. They married when Odette was about three years old. And, two years later, Robin was born.

Their joy was short lived.

There was a short war between her father's kingdom and a neighboring land that was being run by nothing more than an overgrown group of ruffians and drunks. Of the few that died, Gwen's husband was, regrettably, one of them. Robin was about three months old.

It was interesting to see Gwen's thoughts on events regarding the family. She was well aware of everything that was going on with the family that she left behind.

"_I now have a sister. She was born today, and, from what I hear, she looks like Mother, meaning she looks like me. But even with this great joy, I can't imagine what my father must be going through. Mother died while giving birth to Odette. Even as a child, I can remember how much he loved her. I hope, for Odette's sake, that he can pull through this quickly. _

_I've been thinking about going back to help him, but I just can't. I must stick with my decision to make my own way. And I don't know if my father's forgiven me yet. I think it would be best to give Odette her own start. Father will think the same, I'm sure. He's not good at talking about things that are painful, so I doubt that he will mention me. Unfortunately, this also means that he will not talk about Mother, which is a shame. Odette should know her as I did."_

It made Odette feel good to know that Gwen didn't just forget about her family. She still cared, but she was just afraid to come back.

Still fascinated, Odette continued to read on into the night. 


	8. Chapter 8

The more she read, the more Odette found out that Gwen's life certainly wasn't easy, and neither was Robin's. Since the day she was born, Robin had been very sickly. This, of course, caused Gwen great distress, because regardless of what she did, she could not find out what was wrong with her daughter.

"_Nothing I do seems to help. I constantly try to understand why Robin is so weak, but there just seems to be no answer. I've gone to doctors that I knew from my old life, and even they don't know what to do. I sometimes wonder if it wouldn't be best to go back to my old life so that Robin will have a better chance at getting well. _

"_But I can't do that to her. Any time she is surprised or her emotions run high, it takes a physical toll on her. Sometimes it's not so bad, but other times, she's beyond reason and in pain. I have no earthly idea, nor do I want to know, how badly knowing who I was would affect her. _

"_Worst of all, just as I thought she was getting better with age, I was wrong. She fainted today. She was upset about having to go back to the city and the doctors – she hates admitting that she is not as strong as she should be, and she hates having to explain it to physicians who can't seem to help her – and her anger ran out of control. She fell. _

"_Oddly enough, she came to a few moments later, much to my relief. I hope to never see this happen again, although I know I will. _

"_In fact, I knew from the day she was born that she would be troubled. Her birth was far too early. She wasn't ready to enter this world, and there are parts of her that still aren't ready to be in it. I'm scared to death for her, but I just don't know what to do." _

Although it upset Odette to know that Robin was not well, and probably never would be, she felt better knowing that there was something wrong. Ignorance was bliss, but certainly not practical. Odette would rather have known than to go on in the dark.

The fainting, the stumbling, the being pale for no reason… it finally made sense to Odette.

She could also understand why Robin wouldn't want to talk about her mystery illness. It was the same reason Odette hated talking about Rothbart. There was just too much pain, not just for herself, but for the people around her as well.

She smiled, thinking that she and Robin were far too alike. It made her wonder if she and Gwen were as close in personality.

After a few more minutes of thought, Odette finally realized that it was probably very late at night. After looking at the clock, she realized just how long she'd been awake.

Quickly, she gathered everything and organized the volumes as best she could. Somewhat satisfied, she exited the library, hoping that Derek hadn't noticed her absence.

On the way back, she thought about how much Gwen loved Robin. She was sure that the amount couldn't be measured, simply because it was so great. But who wouldn't love Robin? She really was a sweet girl.

She also thought about how much Robin must have missed her mother. Odette wasn't that much older than Robin when she lost her father. Then there was the loneliness. However, Odette had several distractions – such as whether or not she would see Derek again, and whether or not she would even live through the summer – to distract her from her grief.

Robin had nothing, and what else could she do for a year besides miss her mother?

Also, Odette, when she was held captive by Rothbart, hadn't known true loneliness. She was lucky enough to have Speed, Jean-Bob, and Puffin to keep her company, although she longed for Derek.

Robin, however, was truly alone in the middle of the woods. Odette wondered how she got by. She would have to ask the next day. At the moment, however, it was far too late to do anything other than try to get some rest.

Silently, she snuck back into her room and into bed, where she quickly fell asleep.

XxX

Odette woke up in a dream. She was back at her father's castle, standing in the throne room.

King William was nowhere around.

Instead, it was the woman Odette knew to be her sister.

Gwen was smiling softly, looking proud and beautiful, just like Odette had expected her to be.

"Hello, Odette," she greeted, not nearly as stunned as Odette was. Although she didn't like being royal, Odette could help but think Gwen was the most regal woman she had ever met.

"Gw-Gwen…" Odette had no words for her sister, so great was her state of shock.

"Odette, listen to me, for I cannot keep this up for long. I must warn you of a great danger. My murderer is coming for Robin and then… you. He is connected with Rothbart. He uses the Forbidden Arts. I warn you now, Odette, this feud between our family and those who use the dark arts has lasted longer than you or I could know, and it will continue until this man is stopped."

"But what can I do?"

"I can't give you that answer, Odette, because I don't know. I can only warn you against him."

"I know… It was a stupid question."

Gwen put her hands comfortingly on Odette's shoulder. "It's alright. You'll find a way. You and Derek will find a way."

Odette smiled. "Thank you. I have a question, one that you can actually answer."

"Ask away."

"Is there anything I can do to help Robin? She still misses you, and I want to help her."

"She needs to know that she's loved. So tell her. Tell her you care and you want her to stay – because I promise you she will want to leave."

"'Why?"

"Because it might be difficult to stay with you. You're too much like me. As badly as she misses me, she'll have trouble adjusting to you. She doesn't want to forget me. She's afraid of that."

Odette nodded. "I understand."

"Oh, and one more thing. She's not royalty. Not in the least. Ease her into this lifestyle, Odette. It's difficult enough when you're born into it. Robin will have to learn quickly, but she's very intelligent. She can handle it."

"Of course. I'll do everything I can for her.."

"I know. And I appreciate it more than you could ever know. I have to go now. But I'll be watching. And, again, thank you, Odette. It means the world to me to know that my little songbird is safe."

XxX

Odette woke up smiling.

"Songbird…" she whispered.

"What was that, Odette?" Derek asked.

She looked over to see him awake and dressed, as if he had been for hours.

"It's something Gwen used to call Robin."

Derek smiled knowingly. "You were up all night reading her journals, weren't you?"

Odette nodded, opting not to mention her dream quite yet.

"So that's why you're awake so late."

"Oh! I didn't mean to sleep in. I'm sorry."

"Well, Robin's forgiven you already."

"She's awake?"

Derek chuckled. "She's an early riser."

Odette got up and immediately started getting dressed. "I feel so bad! What has she been doing?"

"Pointing out every book in the library that she's read. She loves literature, that's for sure."

"So she's been with you all this time?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but she'll want you to make an appearance pretty soon, so hurry."

"I am."

"What are you two going to do today?"

"I think I'm going to introduce her to a few people. Your mother is coming today, right?"

Derek was a little surprised. "Yes, this afternoon… You want to introduce Robin to her?"

"Yes, of course. Why not?"

"My mother is a little overbearing. I wouldn't want to scare Robin away."

"Robin doesn't scare easily. Besides, I think helping her into this life would be better if she knew everyone that's close to us"

Derek, though still unsure, understood Odette's thinking.

And he was, yet again, amazed by her.

XxX

Odette found Robin in the library, surrounded by novels.

Robin looked up and smiled at Odette. "Good morning."

"Good morning to you," Odette returned. "Sorry I slept so late."

"It's alright."

"I was wondering… How would you like to meet my friends today?"

Robin, a little caught off guard and shy, was reluctant to answer. "Sure…"

"Don't worry. You'll like them. But I have to warn you; they're a little unusual."

Odette led Robin to the lake, where she immediately found Jean-Bob, Speed, and Puffin. She pointed them out and introduced them to Robin, who looked delighted as well as surprised to meet them.

"And this is my niece, Robin."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you," Puffin said, kissing her hand.

"It is," Jean-Bob agreed, "but there is something Odette neglected to mention."

"And what is that?" Robin asked, smiling as she watched Odette playfully roll her eyes.

"I am a prince!" he announced.

Robin stifled a giggle as Speed spoke to her.

"I'm glad to meet you," he said in his slow, relaxed voice. "And don't worry about Jean-Bob. He's been saying that for years."

"Well, my girl, you look just like Odette, I'd mistake you for her if you didn't have those lovely green eyes," Puffin said, turning the conversation back onto her.

Robin smiled. "My mother used to say that the only contribution to me that my father made is my eyes."

Odette laughed, glad Robin had taken a liking to her animal friends so quickly.

They stayed and talked for a little while longer, but the sound of a bugle alerted her to Uberta's arrival.

While Robin and Odette were on their way over, Derek took a few moments to brief his mother on the situation.

"And Mother," Derek added, trying not to offend her while at the same time trying to make sure she didn't scare Robin, "be gentle."

"Oh, calm down, dear. I'm not going to scar the girl for life."

Uberta couldn't help but gasp as she saw Odette and Robin approach.

"She looks just like her mother."

"There's no mistaking that she's family, is there?" Derek asked.

"Not at all."

"Uberta," Odette greeted, smiling. "I'm glad you came. There's someone I'd like you to meet."

Odette motioned for Robin, who was more nervous about meeting a human being – one who just happened to be queen – than she was about a few animals, to step forward.

"This is Robin, my niece."

"It's wonderful to meet you dear," Uberta said, finally over how surprised she'd been.

"The pleasure's mine, your majesty," Robin replied, curtseying.

"Oh, now there's no need to be so formal, dear. You're family."

Robin nodded. "Right. Of course."

It felt good to hear that from Uberta, to be a part of a family again. It made her feel like she wasn't alone in the world, like she had been before. The past year had been very difficult on her, but the past few days were wonderful.

XxX

Lastly, Odette wanted to introduce Robin to Rogers. So, later in the day, she excused herself and Robin and they went to the ballroom, where he was rehearsing with the band.

Quietly, she cleared her throat to get his attention.

He immediately stopped what he was doing, wondering who dared to interrupt his practice.

"Sorry, Rogers," Odette apologized. "But I want you to meet my niece. This is Robin. Robin, this is Rogers."

"Nice to meet you," Robin said, feeling more confident than she had earlier. "The band sounds wonderful."

Rogers smiled politely.

"Well, I'm glad to finally meet you. I remember your mother well, and she's been missed dearly. I remember when she-"

Odette, seeing that Robin was a little uncomfortable, subtly cleared her throat, signaling for Rogers to stop talking about Gwen.

"I've said too much, I suppose. I'm glad you're enjoying the band. Do you like the piece? It's a new one that I've been working on."

"Oh yes. Could I hear it again?"

"Of course."

Rogers tapped on his podium with his baton, lifted his arm, and gave the downbeat. Immediately, the room was filled with music.

Then, Rogers stopped.

"That's all we've worked so far."

"It needs something," Robin said thoughtfully.

"I thought the same thing, but I'm not sure what."

"I think the bass line should be more legato, that way the sound will be fuller and supported for this piece."

Rogers looked at her in surprise. "I'll be sure to try that."

"Oh, and one of your violins is out of tune."

Rogers moved down the line in the violin section, listening to each one briefly. Sure enough, one of them was just barely out of tune.

He started the band again, following Robin's advice. She was right. The smoother basses made the band sound full and strong, but still pretty.

"Thank you," Rogers said when they stopped. "That's exactly what it needed."

"No trouble," Robin replied, feeling a little proud of herself.

"We'll leave you to your work, Rogers," Odette said, ushering Robin out the door. "Where did that come from?"

Robin gave an aloof little shrug.

"My mother didn't call me 'songbird' for nothing."


	9. Chapter 9

Odette laughed. She liked to hear Robin sound so carefree and happy, if only for a moment.

But there was something that she'd been wondering about.

"Robin, there's been something I've been meaning to ask."

Robin looked over at her, ready to answer any question that Odette had for her. "Yes?"

"How have you gotten by all this time, all alone?"

The question was easy to answer, even if the answer was strange.

"The same way my mother and I had been since my father was killed. Once a month, every month, someone, and to this day, I don't know who, put money outside the house on the doorstep. And it was always enough to get my mother and me through the month until the next delivery came. And it was always right on time."

Odette realized something, recalling records of the kingdom's expenses. "My father…"

"It would make sense if it was him. Every time I would ask Mother who sent it, she would say 'someone who I hope you'll meet one day.' Well, she said that up until about two years ago. Then she didn't answer at all."

"My father died two years ago."

"I know. I'm sorry for bringing that up. I wasn't thinking."

"No, it's alright," Odette assured her. "I think he wanted to make up for not being there."

"Why did my mother run away?" Robin asked, having never heard the story and not being able to fathom any reason for her mother, who, in her eyes, was the bravest woman in the world, to run away from anything.

"Well, my father wanted to arrange a marriage for her, something that a lot of royal families tend to do, but Gwen wouldn't have it. She was independent and wanted to make her own choice, so it upset her when she found out."

"I imagine so. She always hated being told what to do."

"Right. Well, she demonstrated that perfectly for my father. That night, she vanished, and for a long time, he had no idea where she went. So, I suppose he found her a few years later and wanted to help her without asking her to come back."

"Too much pride."

"For both of them, I'm sure."

"Mother wouldn't have gone back after making such a point of proving her independence."

"And father wouldn't have admitted a mistake by asking her back. But he still loved her, and I'm sure he would have loved you."

"I bet you miss him as much as I miss my mother."

"I do. He had his flaws, but I loved him all the same. I wish he was here."

"My mother told me all about my father. She loved that man more than anything, and she didn't hesitate to tell me."

"You wish you would have known him," Odette surmised.

"I sometimes feel like I do, with everything Mother told me about him. But yes, I wish I could have memories of him like I do of my mother."

"You're very lucky, though."

"How so?"

"My father never talked about my mother."

"Why not?"

"He missed her too much. Talking about her hurt him."

"But not talking about her hurt you."

"There's a lot of things I would have liked to know, but he wasn't going to answer and I gave up asking. I don't really blame him for not telling me. I can understand why he didn't, but still… I wish he would have talked about her, even just a little bit."

"So, if he didn't talk about her, I guess he didn't talk about my mother."

"Right, and for the same reasons. He didn't want me to feel like I was living in her shadow."

Robin was quiet for a moment. She seemed to have lost track of the conversation. She was suddenly very surprised at herself. She'd never talked about her mother to anyone before. Come to think of it, there was never anyone to talk to about her anything. She expected it to be difficult, and yet, it wasn't. Odette was very easy to talk to.

And because of that, Robin's pain began to ebb away. Being alone for so long with no one to talk to made the pain that much worse. Being able to talk about the good times cheered her up.

It felt good to be a part of a family again. She wished Gwen could have been there to enjoy it too.

As she thought about that, she felt a slight breeze, reminding her that her mother would always be there for her.

Robin smiled.

Odette might not have lived in Gwen's shadow, but Robin enjoyed having her mother's memory with her.

XxX

That night, after Robin had gone to bed, Odette was still awake and alert. With nothing better to do, she went to the library and once again began to read Gwen's diary.

This time, instead of flipping it open to a random page, Odette was looking for something more specific, and thanks to her sister's meticulous habit of keeping everything in order – much like her father – Odette found it.

It was the entry from the day King William died. Odette suspected that Gwen might know something about Rothbart, since she was alive when the trouble began. Coupling that with her knowledge of how deep the hatred between her family and Rothbart and those like him ran, Odette suspected she might be able to find some useful knowledge in her sister's journals.

Normally, she would have searched in her father's but he rarely wrote about it, and if he did, he was very vague. Once again, his habit of pushing painful memories to the back of his very private mind proved a challenge for Odette.

Gwen, however, as Odette quickly found, had no reservations about writing exactly what she thought about Rothbart.

"_He's a terrible traitor and a formidable foe. Worst of all, he has Odette and there is nothing I can do to help her. _

"_He was not always been this evil. There was a time when he was a good man, using his magic to help people instead of harm them. It was when he started using the Forbidden Arts that he changed. Father had tried to warn him, telling him that they were forbidden for a reason, but he didn't listen. Once he began to study them, they consumed his life, as did the evil that came with them. _

"_Their very nature is to corrupt people. They bring out the jealousies in man. Once a person starts using them, their soul is devoured by hatred for people who they once called friends. Friendly rivalries turn into deep hatreds. Rothbart, despite his previously unwavering loyalty to my father was no exception. He fell just as hard as the others who turned to them._

"_I can remember the light hearted fellow that used to visit father and use simple tricks to impress Mother and me. I thought of him as a beloved uncle in those days._

"_But now, he is as much an enemy as any murderer and traitor. Although it seems callous to say that he is at fault for what the Forbidden Arts did to him, he was warned. Father banned their use when a fellow king was overthrown by men who used them. Rothbart knew this. However, his curiosity led him to try the arts, and after one taste, he couldn't stop himself. _

"_There is also rumor that he had accomplices, two men and a woman. One of the men and the woman's identity are known: Clavius, a minor magician who travelled the land performing "miracles" for money, and Zelda, a bitter old witch who hated anyone that wasn't lower than her. Rothbart used both of them to develop the arts. _

"_These two have escaped and the third accomplice has yet to be identified. Because people who use the Forbidden Arts are filled with hatred, they turn on each other, betraying them for their own selfish purposes. The third accomplice escaped from Rothbart's layer the night Father attacked him, not long after Odette was born._

"_I've worried that these people would show up again. I wish Father had killed Rothbart when he had the chance. But Father was still holding onto the memories of his friendship with Rothbart. He couldn't do it. And while I don't blame him, I had hoped that he would have had better judgment. _

"_Still, there's nothing more he can do. I can only hope that Odette finds a way out alive."_

Odette had no idea that the Forbidden Arts caused hatred. She never thought about it. However, it did make sense. Why else would those who used them be so heartless and cruel? Surely no one was like that under normal circumstances.

Intrigued, Odette searched for the day when the barn behind Gwen's house was burned down, a week before she was murdered.

After taking a few moments to find it, Odette found that Gwen was much more worried about it than she let on to Robin.

"_This was no random act of violence. Someone's trying to scare me. Someone wants to send me a message, and I'm sure that it's someone who uses the Forbidden Arts. No one else would hate me so much. _

"_For once, I wish that I hadn't concealed myself away from my family. There's nowhere to go, not that I plan on running away from this challenge. It is Robin that I'm worried about. I was naïve, and I thought that out here no one would come for us, but, as I can see now, I was wrong. The man Rothbart corrupted is surely coming for us, after being taught to hate us for so long. I imagine he wants to eliminate every bit of my family, which means he will attack Odette and her husband as well. _

"_I wish I could warn her. But I don't think she'd believe me. I can, however, get Robin to a safe place and try to deal with this on my own. Zelda and Clavius have both been killed, having been defeated by Odette and Derek. This last man, however, is worse. There is something very cruel about him. I saw it in his eyes as he rode away from us when he was finished with his destruction. He was exposed to Rothbart too long, so he's totally ruined, his heart blackened by hatred. _

"_He'll try to kill Robin too. I'm especially afraid of that. She's everything to me. Since Allen died, I've only had her to keep me going. As much as I've missed my husband in the years since he was killed in battle, I've had to put it to the back of my mind so that I could be a good mother to Robin, and, with her condition, she needs it. _

"_I sincerely hope that I can do something to stop this man, although I don't have many options. My first priority is to keep Robin safe. If I can do that, if I can save her from my father's fate, I will count myself blessed and I will take any punishment that comes with keeping my baby, because she is and always will be my baby, alive."_

After reading a few more passages, Odette found that it was impossible to send Robin away any time soon. There was simply nowhere for her to go. Then, there was a glimmer of hope. The morning before Gwen was killed, she had arranged for Robin to go to a friend of Allen's, a fellow soldier that happened to owe Gwen's late husband a favor.

Gwen was to send Robin away the next day, but she was killed, leaving Robin all alone with nowhere to go.

Odette grieved for her sister, who had tried so hard to get Robin away from the fighting but was too late in the end. It was upsetting to know that all the hatred could have been prevented; all the deaths could have been avoided.

This mystery man had a lot to answer for. Odette vowed to never allow another member of her family die at the hands of such an evil man.

Sad for her sister, disgusted by her murderer, and admittedly afraid for Robin, Odette went to bed, unable to act at the moment.

Derek, who was still awake, doubtlessly waiting up for her, was immediately alarmed by the dejected look on Odette's face.

"What's wrong?"

Odette told him everything she had just read, right down to the last detail.

"If I can't stop this man, if _we _can't stop this man," she said, "then this is just going to continue on forever. It'll just be a vicious cycle unless we break it now, not just for our sake, but for Robin's."

"You feel responsible for her, don't you?"

"I had a dream last night that Gwen came to me and asked me to look after her. I told her that I would do everything I could for Robin."

"Sounds like more than just an ordinary dream."

Odette shook her head, still shocked that she had had it in the first place. "It was too real to be just an ordinary dream."

"I understand. Listen, you are responsible for Robin because you promised to be, right? Well, I'm responsible for you because of a promise I made. I'll fight the Forbidden Arts a thousand times over before I allow them to hurt you or Robin."

"But what can we do? We can't go looking for this man, but waiting for him just seems so… " Odette couldn't finish the sentence. She didn't want Derek to know how much it worried her, but she suspected that he knew already.

"For now, we can rest. Tomorrow, you should talk to Robin about it. She has a stake in this too, so she needs to know what she's up against. I'm sure Gwen didn't tell her all about the Forbidden Arts and what they do to people."

"She wouldn't have. She wanted to keep Robin unaware of it and keep her safe."

"Then you'll have to tell her."

"It's not going to be an easy conversation."

Derek smiled confidently at her. "You can handle it."

Odette sighed, and smiled a little too.

"Once again, you give me too much credit," she said as she kissed him on the cheek.

With a sense of gratitude for Derek's confidence in her, Odette tried to fall asleep, but with everything on her mind, it was hard.

Then, a voice entered her mind, suddenly putting her at ease.

"He's right," Gwen said. "If anyone can get through this, it's you."


	10. Chapter 10

"Robin, there's something I want to ask you."

Odette had tried all morning to come up with a graceful, gentle way into the conversation she was about to have, a conversation that would not be easy for neither her nor her niece. So when realizing that there was no easy way to have the conversation, she decided to speak plainly.

"We're going to have a lot of conversations that start like that, aren't we?" Robin asked, smiling a little.

For a moment, seeing the playful smile on Robin's face, Odette wavered. She considered not asking the question that she had been holding in all night.

"Robin, what happened to your mother? What _exactly_ happened to her?"

Robin sighed.

"To be expected, that you would want to know, I suppose," she whispered, more to herself than to Odette.

"I guess I'll just tell you the whole story, but I've held it in for a long time, so bear with me. It happened late fall, last year, about a week after the barn was burned. I was going to leave for the city, where a friend of my father's lived. I was going to stay with him for a while, as my mother put it. The truth was that neither one of us knew when I would be back.

"I didn't understand why I had to go, but Mother was so adamant about my leaving as soon as possible that there was no arguing with her. She was like that sometimes, you know, a little stubborn. Once she made a decision, she couldn't be moved from it.

"That morning, she woke me up so that I could get ready to go. She planned to leave me with my father's friend and go back home, and then she planned to come back for me when she was ready. As much as I begged her to explain what was going on, she wouldn't. She never said a word, but I knew her intentions were good. Her intentions were always good, but it was hard, not knowing what she was thinking.

"Just before we were going to leave, a man on horseback, a lot like the one from the other day but taller and somehow more imposing, showed up. We saw him dismount and approach through the window. Before I could react, Mother told me to hide. I protested, but she was severe, which was out of the ordinary. She _never_ raised her voice to me. I didn't dare disobey her that morning, although I wasn't quite sure why.

"There was something in her voice that I thought I'd never hear. Fear. She was scared, actually scared. I never before believed my mother could be afraid of anything, but, sure enough, she was terrified."

"Of losing you," Odette said, finishing Robin's thought.

Robin nodded. "As a child, I guess you don't really know what you mean to your parent, but that day, I caught a glimpse of how immense her love for me was. Anyway, I hid in a wardrobe in her room. It was just big enough for both of us to hide together, but, to my horror, she wasn't going to hide with me.

"'This has been my problem for a very long time,' she said when I asked her why she wasn't hiding. 'I cannot run away from it.' I don't know, to this day, what she thought she could do, but I think she would have done anything to save me. Then, not a second after she said that, the man came into the house. Through the crack in the wardrobe doors, I watched everything. I saw the immense hatred in his eyes. I'd never seen such malice coming from anyone.

"I knew, the moment I saw him, what he was going to do, and as scared as I was, my mother didn't flinch. She stood tall, like the hero stands before a dragon in those old stories she used to tell me, and she asked him one question: 'What do you want?'

"He asked her if it wasn't obvious already. She scoffed and told him that he was wasting his time. She didn't have what he wanted. He didn't care. Whatever he wanted, he wanted to take it from her by force. So, even though she didn't have what he was looking for, he had every intention on killing her. So he did.

"In his hands, he formed a red ball of fire. I was so frozen that all I could do was watch when he… Well, you get the rest. When he finished the deed, he left quickly, without another word, but I swear he glared at me while I was in my hiding place. The moment I knew he was gone, I ran to my mother, crying. I was surprised to see that she was still alive, but only just. We both knew that she wasn't going to make it, but she spoke to me in her last moments, and gave me the best advice I'd ever received.

"'I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, but Robin, you must know that I love you more than anything else in this world. So, as my last request, there is something that you must never do: hate. Don't hate, Robin. If you hate, you lose yourself. You lose your humanity. You become cruel and evil, everything your father fought against and everything that destroyed most of my family. Don't hate, little songbird.'

"Every bit of what little strength she had left went into those last words, and I've tried to stand by them, but it's hard now, as it was back then when I saw the light leave my mother's eyes."

Oddly enough, even with the tears rolling down her cheeks as she recalled everything, Robin felt better. It was like her heart had been relieved of a great weight. As a matter of fact, she forgot that she was telling the story to someone else. She thought she never would because it was too painful. However, talking about it, remembering how brave her mother had been made Robin feel like there was still hope in the world. When she looked to Odette, Robin saw that she too was crying.

"I'm sorry," Odette said, wiping a tear. "I'm sorry that happened to you."

"So am I. I miss my mother terribly, but… I don't think she'd want me to mourn forever, like I have been for the past year."

"But you were alone. All you had was her memory and those thoughts."

"But now I'm not alone," Robin said, reminding her. "And talking about her, telling somebody else how great my mother was… it makes me feel better, better than I have in a long time."

"Happy to oblige," Odette said, laughing a little.

Robin laughed too. She was sure that, somewhere, her mother was laughing too.

"So, why did you want to know?"

"I wanted to know more about the man who murdered her."

"He'll be coming for me soon, won't he?"

Odette nodded. "But he won't get you, I promise. I'm not going to let him have you."

"What will you do?"

"I'm not sure yet, but don't you worry about that. I'm sick of people hurting my family. I didn't know Gwen, but she was my sister, my family, and you, you're my niece, again, my family, and the only one remaining. He's not going to get you."

"You sound like her," Robin noted. "You sound as brave as she did."

"I'll _need_ to be as brave as she was."

"I think you can manage."

"You certainly have a lot of confidence in me."

"How can I not when you sound so confident in yourself?"

Odette smiled. "Thank you. That means a lot, it really does."

No one, other than Derek, had ever shown real confidence in Odette before. Now, here was Robin, looking like she felt completely safe after Odette made her promise. It felt good to know that not everyone thought of her as just another pretty face.

"Well, uh," Robin started, breaking the silence, "since we're both pouring out our hearts, can I ask how this man is connected to you?"

"He used something called the Forbidden Arts, a type of magic that's so terrible that it drives people who hate one another. He worked with a man called Rothbart who, when I was eighteen murdered my father."

Odette told the rest of the story and then told her about Clavius and Zelda. Robin listened to it all without a word, and, like Odette had when Robin finished her story, she was crying silently too.

"Why?" she asked. "Just… why?"

Odette shook her head. "I'll never know. They were all taught to hate by Rothbart. I thought we had finished when Zelda died, but I was wrong. I wanted so badly for it to be over that I didn't really consider the possibility that there was another person like them."

"It's hardly fair! My mother didn't do anything. We didn't do anything. King William himself didn't do anything! Why are they coming after us?"

"I don't know what started it all, but I do know that it's not going to stop until everyone who uses the Forbidden Arts is dead. The trouble is, I don't want to fight, and I certainly don't want Derek to fight, mostly because it wasn't his fight to begin with. The only reason he fights is to defend me. So every time it comes up, we're on the defensive."

"I can see how nerve-racking that might be."

Odette nodded. "We're not going to look for these people. It would feel wrong."

"We'd be as bad as they are," Robin said.

"Right," Odette agreed. "And we're not lowering ourselves to that."

Robin smiled. "You really do sound like her."

XxX

Derek had been doing a lot of thinking about Robin and Gwen and Odette. Everything had happened so fast that, while Odette was talking to Robin, he was finally getting a moment to himself. Sometimes, however, a moment to himself wasn't what he needed. He needed to talk to someone.

So, he found his mother and Rogers, who were already talking amongst themselves.

"Something wrong, Derek?" Uberta asked as he approached.

"Nothing in particular," he said.

"Don't lie to me Derek, I know better," she replied, striking a motherly tone.

He smiled. "I suppose I am a little worried about Odette and Robin."

"Why?" Rogers asked. He, having only served Derek's family for most of his life, wasn't as informed about the Forbidden Arts as Derek was. In fact, not even Uberta knew everything that was going on with Odette's family's enemies.

"The day we brought Robin here, a man burned down her house. The same thing happened last year, a week before her mother was murdered."

"Gwen was murdered?" Uberta asked, surprised.

"You didn't know?"

"You didn't tell me. You haven't told me very much, Derek." Uberta wagged a finger at him, letting him know that she did not approve of his silence on the matter.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I don't mean to be secretive; I've learned my lesson from that, but I _am_ worried because the man who murdered Gwen _will_ come for Robin and Odette. Their family has been fighting the Forbidden Arts since before even King William could remember and he's just another link in the violent chain."

"And you're worried that you can't protect Odette again?" Rogers asked.

"I don't want to go through this a fourth time, but I'll do anything for Odette and Robin."

In many ways, he felt responsible for Robin's safety. She was family, more importantly Odette's family, and Odette loved that girl. So if Odette loved her, so did Derek, and he would protect her just as fiercely as he would protect Odette. He would, but he didn't want to.

Both Uberta and Rogers could understand why Derek would be so worried about fighting the Forbidden Arts again. Twice, he had nearly lost Odette, and once, he had nearly been killed, had it not been for Jean-Bob.

Uberta certainly didn't want to lose her son and daughter-in-law. However, she knew Derek would try harder than anything to keep Odette safe, and now that Robin was there, he would protect her too. Derek would place himself in immediate danger if it meant keeping them safe.

She knew this, but it was hard to know that her son was, once again, in danger.

Talking to him, asking him to be careful would do nothing. He was set on his goal to make sure Odette and Robin were safe. The man who murdered Gwen was coming.

The only question was when.

**I just wanted to take a moment to thank my lovely readers for the nice reviews and for putting up with how long it took me to update. So, thank you. **

**-The Phantom **


	11. Chapter 11

Time moved slowly, as it often did, at Swan Lake. However, this was not a bad thing, it gave everyone time to enjoy the company of the people they loved, and no one enjoyed the company of loved ones like Derek, Odette, and Robin.

Of course, the happiness only lasted by day, when everyone was too preoccupied with each other to worry about the looming threat that was the Forbidden Arts. It was like a bad storm; everyone knew it was coming, and the time they spent together was just the calm before it.

However, when focusing on the moment at hand, Robin found she liked her new life. Of course, it could never compare to her time with her mother, but it was far better than being alone with her thoughts.

"I still miss you though" she said one night as she was thinking about Gwen. "I still wish you were here."

Then, a voice in her head: _"I'm always here, Songbird."_

Robin sighed. Some days, she didn't know if the voice in her head was her mother's, a memory, or just a bit of madness invoked by being lonely for so long. She hoped it wasn't the last. She needed something to help her hold onto her past, something to help her get through her new life.

Sure, Odette was kind and gentle and Derek was interesting and smart, but a life of royalty was not what Robin was born to. It was someone else's life, someone else's destiny.

Her mother's?

No. Gwen had made it perfectly clear that she wanted nothing to do with being princess or queen or anything having to do with being royalty. It was a life that she didn't want, so she got away from it. Sometimes, Robin wondered why. Others, she was glad her mother had been that brave. If she hadn't, Robin would never have been born.

It was funny how one decision affected all the others for the rest of a person's life.

Robin blinked herself awake. It was late at night, but she didn't want to rest. However, in its exhaustion, her mind began to wander. There was too much on her mind to allow it to be unfocused. Between her mother and the man who murdered her and was surely coming to Swan Lake, there wasn't a lot of room in her mind for rest or idleness of mind.

But she had to sleep. Otherwise, Odette would worry.

She smiled.

It was funny that she would think of Odette's feelings. She realized that she was learning to be considerate again, learning to love again. She was changing more than she ever thought she would in such a short time.

"_Go to sleep, Robin. You need to rest." _

Robin shook her head and smiled.

Some things, however, would never change.

XxX

Odette too was stuck in thoughts about how things had changed. However, one thing had not.

The Forbidden Arts, it seemed, would always be a threat. Odette couldn't help but wonder what would happen if – or when, more accurately; she knew he was coming – Gwen's murderer would make his appearance. It wasn't an easy thought. She had grown to love Robin, and she could see exactly why Gwen did.

So, she was understandably afraid for her. Derek had sword to protect them both, but would that be enough? And if it was enough this time, then what about next time? And the time after that? And so on, and so on until the day she was killed from it all.

Derek, who had been listening to her think out loud, put a comforting hand on hers.

"Whatever happens, you're not alone. I'll be with you, I'll protect you. This will not kill you. You're too strong for it to kill you."

"And what about Gwen?" she asked. "She was stronger than I am, and well… look what happened to her."

"She was strong, but even the strongest among us are overpowered sometimes. And Gwen knew she had no way out. She'd been taken by surprise, and there wasn't time to defend herself."

He hugged her close to him and held her tight.

"We, however, can fight this. We know what we're up against and we both made a promise to ourselves and each other and Robin that we won't lose another loved one because of the Forbidden Arts."

She smiled and returned his embrace. His words were easy to believe.

"Because they're true," he said, smiling, when she mentioned this.

After a few more minutes of talk, Derek fell asleep.

Odette was awake for a little longer, still thinking about everything that had been said and everything that would happen, but she eventually found herself being lulled by Derek's rhythmic breathing.

She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes.

Dreams came quickly to her, and although they were pleasant, the feeling of anticipation was still in the back of her mind.

XxX

Odette awoke in the middle of the night to a scream that could shatter glass.

For a moment, she had no idea who it could have been, but then she realized…

"Robin!"

Before Derek was even sitting up, Odette was gone.

As quickly as he could, Derek followed her to Robin's room.

Alone in the dark and terrified, Robin tried to calm herself, but her intense fear would not subside. Her breathing was ragged as her lungs begged for more air while her heart was at full gallop. She'd never had a dream that was so real that everything in it was nearly tangible and every emotion was felt in her very soul.

Coupling that with the content of the dream, the nightmare was definitely the worst Robin ever had.

The door suddenly burst open, momentarily adding to her fear until she realized it was only Odette and Derek.

"What's wrong?" Odette asked urgently the moment the door was open. Relieved that Robin was safe – if only physically – she dashed in and sat down on the bed next to Robin. She lowered her voice to a more calming tone and put her hands on Robin's shoulders. "What happened?"

As Robin looked up to Odette to answer, she saw how much she looked like Gwen. Overcome with a sudden sense of immeasurable grief, Robin burst into tears and cried into Odette's shoulder.

Shocked for a moment, Odette glanced over at Derek, who looked just as surprised. She had never seen Robin cry – or even show grief – so openly.

Where was the girl who bravely smiled through hide her pain?

Had it all finally become too much? After all, she'd been bearing a year's worth of pain all by herself. She talked about Gwen, told about how she died, but Robin didn't show how much it hurt. She only revealed a fraction of her pain.

Whatever the reason for her tears, Robin could not repress them.

Snapping out of her shock, Odette put a comforting arm around Robin.

"It's alright," she whispered soothingly. She wasn't sure what was alright, but she had to say something. She loved her niece and it hurt her to see Robin cry the way she was.

Robin could only cry harder. A year's worth of tears, a year's worth of pain flooded from her eyes and onto Odette's shoulder. Odette could feel the girl shake beneath her hands.

Finally, the sounds of crying stopped, and Robin was still.

Gently, Odette pushed Robin back so that she could see her niece's face. She pushed Robin's now damp hair from her face so she could get a better look. "What happened? Tell me all about it."

"I had a dream, a nightmare," she began, drying her eyes. "And in it, I saw my mother die, just as I did when it was a reality, but... I could _feel _everything. When the man who murdered her came into the house, I could sense his hatred for her. It was so heavy, so strong that… I can't begin to describe it to you.

"And then, I could feel my mother's fear. I knew she was afraid. How could she not be? But I had no idea how intense it was, not until now.

"And when she was killed… I felt her pain, physical pain. It wasn't a fleeting moment that ended as quickly as it started… It felt like a lifetime burning. And to know that death was coming, that it was her last moment… Feeling that firsthand… I never imagined what it was like."

Odette knew exactly what it felt like to see her death coming toward her. She remembered, in vivid detail, the feelings of fear and regret and grief and so many other things she had when Zelda's fireball was coming closer to her. In what she was sure would be her last act on Earth, she pushed Puffin, who had been trying to free her from the vines that she was tangled in, away so that he wouldn't be killed along with her.

In that moment, when she knew she was going to die, there was no escape from the terror she faced. Odette understood what Robin had just experienced.

"And then…" Robin said, quietly so that she was almost whispering. "She said something strange to me… 'He's coming for you.'"

Odette stared at Robin for a moment.

"It was a warning," she whispered.

Robin nodded. "I know. But from who?"

Odette shivered. Surely Gwen would never show Robin such a terrible dream.

"_She worries," _Odette heard Gwen say. _"She's stressed and her imagination has taken its hold. You must understand that Robin feels every emotion with great impact. And right now, she's scared. She'll never admit it to you, but she is scared." _

Then it wasn't a warning, just a manifestation of Robin's fear.

Odette opted to say nothing about it. Rather, she decided to distract Robin.

"Listen, he's not going to hurt you. No one's going to hurt you. You're safe here."

As Derek watched and listened from the doorway, he found himself impressed by Odette. He had never seen her so motherly before. Of course she had compassion and kindness; those were attributes that she'd had all her life though he didn't notice until the night he realized just how much he loved her.

Odette had grown up. She, like Derek, had become wise and more loving than she had ever expected in herself. However, Derek had great expectations for her, and he knew that she would one day become the wonderful woman he saw before him. Now that he was seeing her for what she had become, he was in awe.

And, because of that, he loved her that much more.

And because of that, he wanted to protect her that much more.

The situation would not be just a battle with the Forbidden Arts. It would be a battle with their own nerves. The anticipation was taxing on all of them. All they could do was wait and endure. It was enough to make Derek wish that the murderer would show himself and be done with it.

He had no idea how very soon he would be getting his wish and how terrible the consequences of that wish would be.


	12. Chapter 12

**A.N.: I'd like to thank Heddwynn McCloud for all the help on rewriting this chapter. It needed it. So, again, thank you. **

"I don't get it," Robin said to Derek. "If he's going to come, why not come?"

"I've often thought the same thing," Derek replied.

It was early the next morning. Odette was still asleep, having been up all night trying to console Robin.

The only reason that Robin was awake was out of fear of more nightmares.

"I know it's hard, but all we can do is wait," Derek went on. "At least this time we know what we're up against."

Robin sighed. "There must be something we can do."

"It would be worse to go after him. I can't leave you and Odette alone to try and find him. I've made that mistake already."

"I know, I know. It just feels like there should be something to do about him. You know, before he comes here."

"It always seems that way," he agreed.

What a shame that the way it seemed wasn't how it truly was. Really, Robin wished Derek wouldn't worry so much over her. It was hardly fair. She didn't yet realize that Derek loved her just as much as Odette. To her, it felt like Derek was bound by some duty to protect her.

As if reading her thoughts, Derek spoke up. "You know, looking after you isn't just something I have to do because Odette would want it. I'm serious about your safety because you're family; not just Odette's, but mine too. So I don't want you to think that I'm protecting you because I have to. I want to."

Robin smiled. "It means a lot to hear you say that. Thank you."

Robin and Derek talked for a while longer until Derek thought it would be wise to wake Odette so she would sleep at night and not all day.

This left Robin alone for a while as she thumbed through the pages of a book she had just started to read. Of course, she could hardly pay attention to it. With everything on her mind, a novel certainly wasn't her top priority.

Her priorities immediately changed the moment she heard a window shatter on the far side of the room.

"Lock the door," she heard someone say.

XxX

"Odette? Are you awake?"Derek called into their room.

He heard Odette stir. "No."

He chuckled. "Come on. You won't sleep tonight if you sleep all day."

"Five more minutes," she whined.

He sat next to her, pulling the blanket off of her face. "You're uncharacteristically immature today."

She smiled up at him. "I suppose I should get up. How is Robin?"

"She's fine. I think she's stronger than she lets on."

"It runs in the family."

"Don't I know it," he said as he kissed her.

When they pulled away, Odette was still concerned about Robin. "She screamed very loudly. Didn't anyone else hear her?"

Derek shrugged. "Well, Mother and Rogers are getting old… so their hearing might not be as good as it once was."

"Still, it was so loud."

"Not as loud as you might think."

"I don't understand," she admitted.

"When someone you love is calling for help, you can hear it, no matter how far away you are."

"That makes absolutely no sense."

It really did sound silly to Odette, but it was perfectly understandable to Derek. Even when Odette wasn't calling for help, even if she was doing something as carefree as singing, Derek could hear it, not just in his ears, but in his soul.

"Yes it does," he argued, grinning a little. "You know it does. You just can't explain it. But, I promise you, if someone means a lot to you, you'll hear them, no matter how far away they are."

She nodded, seeing from the serious look in his eyes that he was speaking from experience.

"There. I win. And you have to get up now."

He gently pulled her to her feet and into another kiss.

XxX

"Who are you?" Robin demanded, rising to her feet, trying to persuade her heart to stop trying to beat its way out of her chest. Any faster, and she would certainly black out, something that she definitely didn't want to do. It would put her at the mercy of the intruders.

There were two men. As they approached her she could see that one was about fifty years old, with hatred and murder in his eyes, and the other was about seventeen. His face mirrored that of the other man's. However, there was waver in his expression. He wasn't totally committed to the elder man's plans.

Robin had no idea what made her think of this. She usually wasn't so observant of people at first glance. She didn't have time to hope she would be shown compassion.

"You may call me Samael, however, if I was you, I wouldn't worry about remembering it. You won't be alive much longer to do so."

Robin knew that voice. She knew that face. She didn't want to admit it at first, but the moment he spoke, she could no longer deny it to herself.

There he was, the man who murdered her mother, standing in front of her.

And he was out for more blood. Her blood.

XxX

Derek and Odette were just leaving their room when a guard rushed up to them.

"Your majesties! There has been an intrusion!" he said, panting as he ran over, heavy armor clinking and clanking noisily with his every movement.

"Where?" Derek asked, his voice full of urgency. Really, he didn't need to ask.

Somehow, he already knew where.

His bad feeling was confirmed when the guard answered.

"In the study, sir. Robin is there."

"Why aren't you helping her?" Odette asked. How could he leave her alone?

"The door is locked. We can't get in."

"The door is made of wood, not iron," Derek said, quickly growing frustrated. "Break it down."

The guard shook his head. "It's too heavy, sir."

"We're wasting time." Derek started to run. Before he broke into a full sprint, he looked back at Odette.

She looked sick to her stomach when Derek glanced at her. She knew exactly who had broken in. She knew what the intruder wanted.

And he was alone with Robin.

As scared for her niece as she was, Odette found herself too frozen to move. She was far too startled and sick with fear, not for herself, but for Robin.

It was strange that they had been expecting the murderer for so long, but they were still unprepared. They had done nothing to plan for his arrival.

"Come on, Odette," Derek said, taking her hand. "You can't help her here."

Odette snapped back into reality. With Derek leading the way, they ran to the study where Derek had left Robin.

Uberta and Robin managed to catch up to them, having been warned by other guards.

"What's going on?" Uberta asked.

"The man who killed Gwen is in there alone with Robin," Derek said, drawing the sword he had borrowed from one of the guards. "Stay back, I'm going in."

"Derek, don't be rash," Rogers advised, although he didn't have any better ideas.

"What would you have me do? Leave her to die, Rogers? No, I won't let that happen. Now, stay back. I'm going in."

He repeated the last sentence with such intensity that no one dared to argue. He moved quickly to the door.

"Please be alright," Odette prayed as he began to turn the handle. "Please, please be alright."

XxX

Robin suddenly heard someone outside the door, yelling in anger about something as the doorknob jiggled in its place but didn't turn.

For a moment, Samael and the other man were distracted, hoping that the door wouldn't open. They wanted Robin alone.

While her attackers waiting in silence to see if the door would hold, Robin used the moment to hide herself behind a heavy desk. She would be found quickly, should Samael take the time to start looking. However, it was better than standing out in the open.

"Mommy's not here to help you," Samael called, turning his attention back toward his goal. "You can't hide from me this time and she won't protect you."

From her hiding space, Robin could hear someone try to open the door. She could hear Derek yell in frustration.

"He's not coming either," Samael added. "Come now, child. Did you really think you can hide from me forever? Your mother couldn't."

Robin's fists clenched when he mentioned her mother. She could hardly bear to hear him continue.

"But I must say, her determination to save you was touching… useless in the long run, but touching. And speaking of long runs, how long do you think you can keep this up? You'll die just like your grandfather, your mother, and, soon, Odette and Derek."

"Why do you hate us so much?" Robin called from her hiding place, trying to distract Samael for at least a few moments.

Samael laughed aloud, as if the answer should be obvious. "Because you're in the way. I want the crown, but I can't have it because your aunt is currently wearing it, as did her father. Rothbart waited too long to kill him. What's worse, he didn't make up for his mistake by killing Odette when he had a chance. He toyed with her too long, and Derek defeated him. Some great sorcerer."

Robin shivered. Suddenly, in spite of the summer heat, she felt very cold. Samael wasn't just a common murderer. He was a methodical madman, a sociopath, with no remorse about what he did to other people.

"Why is the crown worth all the bloodshed?"

The question was one that had escaped her mind. She didn't mean to ask it aloud. Honestly, she didn't really want to know what outlandish reason this madman had cooked up.

"This family of yours has used that crown against people like me, innovative people, people with talents that they didn't understand, so they condemned those who had them. So, taking the throne will give people the chance to finally be able to live as they want to live, do as they like."

"And to make sure that your family doesn't oppress people like me again, I'll eliminate you all, just to be thorough."

"So why did you let me live after you killed my mother?" Robin asked, trying to throw off his corrupt logic. She could hardly believe that someone could be so psychotic as to fabricate such nonsense. The whole reason that the Forbidden Arts were forbidden was their power to corrupt, and that was obviously what had happened with Samael. "It seems counterproductive."

"Would there have been a pain worse than listening to her last words and watching her die?"

Robin couldn't answer. Of course there could have been no greater pain.

"I remember watching you," he said, reminiscing as if recalling a funny childhood story. "You were hiding in a wardrobe, watching through the crack in the door, eyes wide as saucers. Oh, I could have done away with you right there. I thought about it. I would have loved to see the look on Gwen's face.

"But, at the moment, I wasn't worried about getting rid of you, and I figured that I'd come back later, since you'd be alone. I was wrong. It seems I let my desire to have fun get in the way of my efficiency. However, I aim to correct that this morning. You may as well come out of hiding, you're finished."

Robin didn't dare move from her place.

Samael was well aware of where she was. Taking careful aim, he threw a fireball at the desk, startling Robin just enough to make her jump away.

She stood, unprotected and in the open, in front of her mother's murderer. Her eyes frantically scanned the room, trying to find somewhere, anywhere, to hide until help could come

"You're on your own, little girl," Samael said, knowing what Robin was praying for. "There's no way out for you, and no way in for them. You have only one option."

"I'm not going to just give up and die, if that's what you're thinking," she said, trying to retain her pride.

"Well, your mother certainly did."

Once again, the mention of her mother in such a cowardly light made Robin flinch with rage.

Samael went on, seeing that he had piqued Robin's anger. "And had you let me finish, I would have given you a different option. Fight."

Robin, knowing very well that it would be impossible for her to win a physical battle against this man, glared at him. "No."

"Why not? Don't you hate me? Don't you want me dead? Come on. I'm giving you the chance right now to finish me." He formed a sword in his hand and threw it, grinning a little when it landed two feet in front of her "Do your worst."

Robin thought a moment about trying something desperate, but something was stopping her, something more than just her own weak body.

"_That's not like you," _a very familiar voice in her mind commented. _"You were raised better than that. Just wait."_

"I know," Robin whispered. She knew what she had to do, even if she didn't like it. Although her life was still in danger, she could save herself in other ways.

"What's that?" Samael asked, thinking that Robin's words were intended from him.

"I said 'no'. I do not hate you, and I will not fight you."

"Do you mean to say that I murdered your mother right in front of you and I plan on killing you in the same way along with your family, and you don't hate me? How deluded you must be."

"Not at all. I just know that if I hate you, I become no better than you. I'll lose myself, my humanity, just like you've lost yours. I can't fight. I won't fight. If I die, let it be on your hands alone."

Samael shook his head and laughed. "More the fool you. You had your chance."

Robin watched as Samael formed a bright red fireball in his hand. He was glaring at her, taking his time and taking careful aim.

Mimicking a rabbit's agility as best she could, given a subpar body, Robin jumped out of the way when Samael fired. Unfortunately, he had anticipated her movement, and managed to launch another attack.

This time, Robin wasn't so lucky. For a moment, she could still stand, and she stared at Samael in surprise, like she hadn't been expecting to be hit so soon. She had hoped she could have held out for just a little longer. She wasn't ready to die yet. There were too many things to do, too many people to meet, and so on.

She was too young to die, too innocent.

It just wasn't fair.

Samael shrugged, feeling no compunction for what he'd just done. "You should have fought back."

She fell to the floor, unable to move or speak.

She was, to her own surprise, still alive. It took a moment for the searing pain to set in and tell her that she wasn't dead yet. However, she was badly injured, with no hope of escape without aid.

All she could hope for was rescue.

Luckily, rescue was on its way.

From where she was lying on the floor, Robin could hear voices on the other side of the door, once again distracting the aggressors. This time, it was Odette and Derek urging Jean-Bob to hurry up.

While Robin had tried to buy herself some time by talking to Samael, Derek had asked Puffin, who – along with Speed and Jean-Bob – had seen Samael and his crony break into the castle by flying in through the window on a fireball, something that Zelda had done when she tricked Derek into giving her Rothbart's notes, and decided to investigate, to fly around and try to find another way to get in.

Having found none, there was only one other option.

For what he swore was the last time, Jean-Bob, the reluctant hero, crawled into the lock. After moving the tumblers in just the right way, the door was unlocked.

Derek pushed his way into the room, Odette just behind him, and Uberta and Rogers after her.

"Nobody move!" Samael yelled, obviously not counting on such a rescue, just when he was starting to have fun. "I'll kill everyone here if anyone moves an inch."

"Do as he says," Derek said to the guards who were at the door, ready to rush in at a moment's notice.

Not daring to disobey and put anyone's life in jeopardy, Odette subtly turned her head so that she could see Robin.

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw her beloved niece lying on the ground, clutching her stomach where the fireball had hit her.

After following Odette's pained gaze and seeing Robin and knowing that she was in excruciating pain, Derek glared at Samael.

"Leave her alone," he growled. "Fight me instead."

Samael laughed. It was hollow, without remorse, sarcastic. "I have no interest in dealing with you. Not yet, anyway. It was the girl who I came for. And when she's dead, I'll take my leave."

"You'd kill an innocent child?" Derek was immediately disgusted with the poor excuse for a man that stood before him. He felt the same way any time someone tried to hurt Odette. Why would anyone want to harm someone so good, so kind and caring? It was a crime against humanity.

Had he had the time to grab his bow and arrows, Derek would have shot Samael on the spot. Her brandished his sword, trying to look more threatening than he felt at the moment. He lowered his voice to a deep growl. "I won't let you."

"Interesting challenge, one that comes from the man who killed Rothbart…" Samael mused, stroking his chin in exaggerated assessment of the situation. Then, an idea, an undoubtedly evil idea, popped into his head. "Eureka."

He turned, grinning maniacally, to the man who had come with him, but thus far had done nothing, save for sneaking closer to Robin when Derek and the others had made their entrance.

Derek looked at him too. The young man was far too close to Robin, who had not moved since her rescuers came in, for Derek to stop him. There simply would not be enough time for Derek to reach Robin and save her, should Samael's silent accomplice attack.

After thinking of all this, Derek knew what Samael was about to say, and he dreaded hearing it.

"Torrance," Samael said, slowly, for dramatic effect, "take care of Derek for me, so that we can finish our business here and be on our way."


	13. Chapter 13

"You see, Torrance here doesn't like royalty very much," Samael said, suppressed laughter in his voice. "When he was young, his rather nasty landlord decided to force his family off the land because of some unpaid rent. The rent was, of course, impossible to pay for a poor family such as his. Sad isn't it?

"So, ever since, poor little Torrance has decided to take his revenge on any and all royalty he comes by, and what better place to start than here? Well, Torrance. Here's your chance. Do it."

Torrance moved forward, advancing upon Derek, intense anger and hatred smoldering in his eyes. However, they were completely not full of rage. As there had been since his arrival, there was a certain hesitation in his eyes.

"Wait," Odette said in protest, seeing the waver in Torrance's eyes and stepping forth. If there was a chance that she could stop the violence, if only for a few moments, she was going to take it. "Leave them alone. They've done nothing to you. If you want my father's kingdom so badly, then you can have it. Just please leave my family alone."

Her mind flashed back to when she'd said something similar to Rothbart. He had declined, saying that he'd have to spend his whole life trying to keep the kingdom if he stole it. Instead, he planned to marry Odette, thereby getting his hands on the crown and making Odette suffer at the same time.

She hoped Samael wasn't of the same mindset, but somewhere in her heart, she knew he was.

"Odette…" she heard Uberta start.

"It's fine," Odette assured confidently. "I just want my family. I don't care about anything else."

"Do you really think that I would be stupid enough to believe it would be that easy?" Samael asked, belittling Odette's offer for peace. "You just hand everything over, no questions asked? And then what? A few years down the road, you find an army of supporters and come back to take everything back? I can't let that happen. Torrance?"

Torrance, who seemed to be stalling for time, only moved forward. His presence was only imposing, not outright threatening. Odette wondered what he would do. Because he detested fighting so much, regardless of the situation, Derek would do his best to never make the first move in a fight, not if he didn't have to. He would wait to see what Torrance would do.

This made for some intense moments of observation as Torrance moved himself around the room.

Robin listened to everything that was going around her. She felt that she could do nothing to stop the fighting that would surely erupt at any moment, but there was one person who wouldn't allow her to be passive and silent.

"_No time to lay about, Songbird," _Robin heard her mother say. _"Stand, Robin. You can't just let things happen around you without your input. Take action. Stand, and take action."_

"Right," Robin agreed, her voice a rough and pained whisper. "I've got to get up."

Slowly and with great difficulty, Robin rose from the ground, praying for strength and courage the entire time. Loud enough for everyone to hear, she spoke up.

"Enough."

The second she spoke, the attention was immediately on her.

"If you came here to kill me, do it already."

Samael was, surprisingly enough to everyone in the room, in amazement. His corrupt, sick brain could not fathom what was going through the minds of his foes, who were so willing to sacrifice themselves for one another.

"Why are you all jockeying to die for one another?"

"That's love," Robin said. "It's something that you wouldn't understand. You're so blinded by your hatred for everyone else that you've never even seen what love can do, what people who love can do. Why do you think my mother told me to hide, knowing she was going to die? The answer is simple: she loved me enough to want to shield me from you. She loved me enough to have hope for me, even when she had none for herself."

"What a shame that she's not here to do that again."

"Don't be so sure."

In truth, her mother's voice was the one thing that would bring Robin through that day, and for that she was grateful, even as she stared death in the face.

"I've heard enough of this senseless prattling. Torrance, let's give them their wish. We'll kill them all, starting with the girl. I'll even let you do the honors."

There was not a movement in the room. No one there seemed to be afraid to die. Even the talkative and easily excitable Uberta was silent and solemn.

Once again, Torrance made no movement that was unexpected.

Odette, wanting to be close to those she loved and also wanting to test Torrance, who she was sure would do nothing to stop her, walked over to Robin and put her hand on her niece's shoulder. Robin, in turn, placed her hand over Odette's and smiled up at her aunt.

Seeing this, Derek went to them and wrapped one arm around Odette and put his hand on Robin's shoulder, as Odette had. He kissed Odette on the cheek.

Following suit were Uberta and Rogers. Uberta stood at Derek's side, filled with pride for her son. Rogers took his place by Uberta, his queen and close friend, and took her hand.

There, all together, was Robin's family, something she'd thought died with her mother. She was, happily, wrong, and seeing their brave faces made her feel courageous. She had nothing to fear from dying.

Seeing this, Torrance, who'd had his hand raised and forming a fireball, stepped back. He was crying.

He put his arm down and hung his head in sorrow.

"What are you doing?" Samael demanded. "Come on, you can get them all in one shot and have everything you've ever wanted."

Torrance shook his head. "No."

"What do you mean 'no'?!"

"I mean 'no'. I will not kill these people. It would be a disgrace to my family. They didn't ask me to avenge their loss, and they certainly wouldn't want me to kill these people."

Samael glared angrily at him for a moment, his mind, once again, too corrupt and hate filled to understand Torrance's point. "If you can't kill them, then I will."

Grinning with psychotic glee, Samael rushed forward, close to Robin, a fireball aimed right at her.

"I'll start with you," he growled, clearly enjoying what he was about to do.

"Do it, then," Robin replied defiantly.

Samael raised his hand to her.

"Goodbye, little girl."

"No!" Torrance yelled. Without thinking, he flung a fireball from his hand and into Samael's back. Immediately, Samael dropped to the ground. Although he wasn't immediately killed, everyone in the room knew that in a few moments, Samael would be no more.

"You killed me! Why?!" he roared at Torrance. "You could have had it all!"

"Are you blind even in death?" Torrance asked, astounded. "The girl is innocent. They all were, and I'm only sorry that I didn't realize it sooner."

"You'll regret this," Samael swore. "There are always others like me. Just wait. They'll come and you'll wish you had taken the chance that you'd been given."

Torrance shook his head, pitying Samael, who didn't have time to realize what he'd done to himself over the years. He didn't realize that he had wasted his life hating everyone for virtually no reason.

There, still corrupt in the mind and cold in the heart, Samael died, ignorant, unloved, and alone.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Robin too felt sorry for him. She was thankful for the family that still stood behind her. She was thankful that she had known love.

"Let's go," Derek suggested to his family. He looked at Torrance. "I am grateful to you, for saving my niece, but you still have explaining to do. Come with us."

Torrance nodded and followed Derek, Odette, Uberta, and Rogers as they walked toward the door. For a moment, everyone had their back turned to Robin, thinking that she was following behind.

But she wasn't. She was staring at… well, nothing in particular when, suddenly, she felt very weak. It was like what she felt the moment before she fainted, but this time it was different.

This time it was worse.

She'd been able to suppress the excitement and fear for the entire ordeal, but now she was overcome with those emotions.

Then, before she could warn the others, her knees went weak and she fell to the ground.

Odette's face immediately went white the moment she heard the thud behind her.

Turning on her heel, her eyes widened and filled with tears of panic. She had a strange sense of foreboding for the moment – which felt like a lifetime – that it took for her to cross the room and drop to her knees as Robin's side.

Derek and the others immediately joined her, thinking, hoping that Robin had only fainted.

However, she hadn't.

Odette looked for the rise and fall of Robin's chest and listened for some sign of inhalations and exhalations from Robin's mouth.

There was none.

"Odette?" Derek asked when Odette had said nothing for a moment.

"Derek, she's not breathing!"

xXx

Robin's eyes opened to a world that she had never, not even in her wildest dreams, seen before. However, she knew where she was.

She stood up and found herself surrounded by clouds and drenched in sunlight. She was happy; unexplainably, perfectly happy.

She felt safe, truly safe, for the first time in her life.

"Robin," someone called to her.

When she turned around to address the familiar voice, Robin couldn't help but smile, even as a few tears made their way down her cheeks.

There she was: Robin's mother in all her glory, standing beside a handsome man who could be none other than Allen, Robin's father.

Gwen took a few steps forward. Allen remained close behind.

"Robin, there isn't much time," Gwen said. "And you have a decision to make. If you want, you can stay here with your father and me, or you can go back and live with Odette and Derek. You must make the choice quickly, though, or it will be made for you."

It was an easy decision for Robin. Of course she wanted to stay with her parents. Or so she thought. Her decision wasn't as concrete when she heard something behind her. When she listened close, she realized that someone was crying.

"Who's crying?" Robin asked, confused. Who could cry in such a beautiful place? Who could be anything but happy here?

"It's Odette," Gwen replied solemnly. "She's scared of losing you."

"_Please don't go," _Odette begged. Her voice sounded far away to Robin, but that didn't take the pain out of it. _"Please don't die. I don't want to lose you too." _

"This certainly complicates things," Robin said quietly. She didn't want Odette to be sad. It hurt almost as badly as when her own mother was upset. So, as hard as it was, she made her decision.

"I have to go back. I'll be back here one day, I'll see you again, but I'll never get another chance at life, and I can't just leave Odette. I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about," Gwen said, hugging her daughter for a moment. "I love you."

"I'm proud of you," Allen said, speaking for the first time, with Robin hearing for the first time. "I always have been."

Robin smiled at him. "Thank you, Father. I'm glad I got to see you."

"I'm always with you," he promised. "I always have been."

"Robin, there is one thing I want you to do for me," Gwen said.

"Anything," Robin replied.

"Thank Odette for me. Tell her how grateful I am and how much I am sorry for not being there for her. One of my biggest regrets was not going back to help her. Let her know that I love her and so did Mother and Father."

Robin nodded. "I will. I promise I will."

"Good. Now all you need to do is wake up."

A little sad, but knowing that she would some day see her family again, Robin closed her eyes.

"Goodbye for now," Gwen whispered, kissing Robin on the forehead, just as she had done when Robin was being tucked in for the night when she was little.

XxX

Odette could not contain her tears when she thought she had lost her niece. She was so numbed by her grief that she didn't realize it when Robin began to stir in her arms.

"Odette, look!" Derek said in surprise. He was truly witnessing a miracle.

Odette could hear the smile in his voice. She wondered what on Earth he could be happy about at a time like this.

"Don't cry," someone whispered faintly. "Please don't cry anymore."

Odette looked at Robin, whose face was no longer pale with death. Immediately, Odette backed off to give Robin some air.

"Are you alright?" she asked, surprised and overjoyed.

"I'm fine," Robin assured, smiling a little, her voice coming back to its usual strength. "I'm okay."

"You really had me scared."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I'm so glad you're back. I'm so glad you're alive."

Odette hugged Robin as she cried again, this time with tears of joy.

**Well, as my best friend's girlfriend told me, I can't end on an unlucky number. So, I'll have one last chapter for you soon. Thanks for reading and reviewing and putting up with me. **

**-The Phantom **


	14. Chapter 14

That night, Odette couldn't sleep. It seemed that the day's excitement – if it could be called that – had carried over into the night, and Odette couldn't shake it.

Quietly, she slipped out of bed and took a walk around the castle.

The night was still and cool as summer ebbed away. The moon shined brightly into the halls through the windows, providing a soft, blue light for Odette to walk in.

It was nice to be alone with her thoughts for a little while, but, when her thoughts kept switching to the people around her and all the things that had happened that day, it was hard to feel truly alone.

Of course, that wasn't really a bad thing.

Being totally by herself was leaving her open to over think the day, not that it didn't warrant thought. It did. But at that hour of the night, Odette would rather not be thinking about what had happened during the day, even after Samael died.

A while after that, when everyone had calmed down as best they could (Odette especially needed a moment to recover after nearly losing Robin), Derek had interrogated Torrance, who seemed to have fallen in with a bad person and nothing more. There was really nothing evil about the boy at all. He begged forgiveness for what he'd done and what he had thought about doing.

He admitted to being the one who burned down Robin's house and destroyed Gwen's grave.

It had angered Odette for a moment, but she decided not to hold a grudge. It would do no good. She was glad that she'd asked Robin to wait outside. There would be now way that Robin could have handled that knowledge without being overcome again.

Torrance, after being forced off his land, was confused for a long time about where to go and what to do. He'd always had a natural affinity for magic, so, to raise money for his family, he went to a nearby city and performed little tricks for entertainment, hoping someone would throw some money his way.

That was where Samael found him. Samael was able to corrupt Torrance by convincing him to take his anger about what his family lost on all royalty. However, because Torrance hadn't learned magic by using the Forbidden Arts, he retained his conscience and was able to stop himself from hurting Odette, Derek, and their family.

He explained that he and Samael had heard talk around the neighboring town that Odette had found a long lost member of her family. So they knew where to go when they couldn't find Robin in her family home.

Odette sighed. There was too much pain in the world, and hearing Torrance's story made her realize that her family wasn't the only that suffered because of the cruelty of others. The world wasn't always a happy place for everyone.

But, for that night, Odette felt happy and safe.

Torrance had left late that afternoon, when all the information and questions were squared away. Not being the type to want to punish people – much like King William, Odette thought – Derek decided to show Torrance amnesty for what he'd done because he had shown kindness and restraint.

Although he didn't appear to be a hostile enemy anymore, Odette was glad when he left. He took with him a sense of disturbance. With his absence, at least some peace returned to the castle.

Odette had wanted to talk to Robin to make sure she was truly alright, but the poor girl was so exhausted that she felt asleep in the hall while waiting for Derek and Odette to finish talking to Torrance.

Derek carried her to her room and she'd been asleep ever since.

Pulling herself out of her recount of the afternoon and remembering where she was, Odette instinctively made her way to Robin's room, not really knowing it when she did.

She'd made a habit of checking up on Robin at night, and, in spite of the late hour, she was going to keep to it.

Quietly, she opened the door. Robin's bed, to her surprise, was empty.

"Robin?" Odette called. "Where are you?"

"Out here," Robin answered from the balcony.

She was sitting outside, letting the moonlight hit her face. She was enjoying the night just as much as Odette had been.

"I thought you were asleep," Odette said.

"I just woke up. I wanted to get some air. Was there something you wanted to talk about?"

Odette sat down at her side. "Nothing in particular… I guess I just wanted to tell you how glad I am that you're alright. I'm sorry," she apologized as she began to cry again.

"It's alright," Robin assured her. "I saw my mother, you know."

"Really?"

Robin nodded. "And my father. He loved my mother very much. I could tell. I wish I could have had more time with him, but I had a choice to make."

"And what choice was that?"

"They told me that I could either stay with them or go back to you and Derek. And, I'll be honest, it took me a moment to decide… Well, you can see what choice I made."

"I'm glad you did."

"So am I," Robin said thoughtfully. "I'll always have my parents with me, in my heart, but I knew that I wouldn't get another chance at coming back to you, and I didn't want you to be sad, not for me, anyway."

"I appreciate that. Really, I do."

"My mother wanted me to thank you for her. She said to tell you that she wished she would have gone back to the castle when you were born. I guess she felt guilty because you didn't have a mother and…"

"There's no need for her to feel guilty," Odette interrupted. "She had to lead her own life, and I can respect that. Her family needed her more than I did."

"I miss her. It's not fair that she was taken away from me, and, in a lot of ways, it still hurts. And I know I'm just telling you what you already know; you saw your father die in front of you. But I wonder, does the pain ever go away."

Odette shook her head. "No. We just learn to deal with it, I suppose."

"It shouldn't be like that. I shouldn't have to get over my mother. Not now, anyway. But I am lucky. I have one good reason to feel lucky."

"What reason?"

"You."

She gazed at her a moment, incredulous.

"Me?"

"Yes, and bear with me; this is going to sound silly... You made me feel loved again. You gave me a second chance at being happy. I thought I'd be alone forever until you came along."

Odette smiled. "You've helped me in a lot of ways too. You helped me solve the mystery that is my family, and even though I wasn't able to meet my sister, I'm more than happy to have you."

Robin blushed a little, not used to being so candid with someone who wasn't her mother. But that was changing, and she knew that it would only be a matter of time before she'd be able to share everything with Odette.

"No trouble."

They talked for a few more minutes, until most of Robin's sentences became drowned out by exhausted yawns. Odette took it as a cue to let her niece sleep, so she said goodnight and went back to her room.

While she was out, Derek had noticed Odette's absence and had woken up. It wasn't like her to be out and about in the middle of the night. That is, it wasn't like her if nothing was troubling her.

If something _was_ bothering her, there would be no telling when she would wear herself out and return to bed.

Odette was surprised to see Derek sitting up when she entered the room.

"Derek?" she called tentatively, wanting to make sure that he was really awake and hadn't just sat up and fallen back asleep.

"Yes?" he answered, his voice, to her relief, alert.

"Why are you still awake?"

"I was worried about you," he replied simply as she sat down beside him in the bed.

"Why?"

"Because I know you're still upset."

She immediately felt a lump in her throat as if she was about to cry.

"All I can think of is the sound I heard when she fell and how pale her face was and when I realized she wasn't breathing… it still hurts and I still feel that sense of shock. I was so afraid that I'd lose her and I can't believe even now that she still came back. It took talking to her a few minutes ago for me to really be sure that she's alright."

He nodded knowledgably as she went on.

"And then I think that if I had lost her, if _we _had lost her," she amended, "I don't know what I would do. She's become another part of me, and I feel like I'm part of something that I didn't know that I was missing."

"A family?" Derek offered, smiling a little.

She thought a moment before answering. When she realized that Derek was right, her face lit up.

"Yes, that's it. But why haven't I noticed it before? I've never felt like I was missing anything, especially since I've been married to you."

"It's just one of those things you don't know you need until you find it."

"Like you, I suppose."

"How so?"

"I didn't know how much I needed you until I wasn't sure if I'd ever see you again."

He laughed a little. "I don't know about that. You've handled yourself pretty well all your life. You don't need me."

"That's not true. I've always needed you, whether I want to admit it or not."

Truthfully, he could never believe, even for a moment, that there was a problem that Odette couldn't think her way out of. She was stronger and more intelligent than she gave herself credit for.

"You've been around me too long. You're starting to sound like me."

"I've always felt this way. I was just afraid to say it."

He stared at her for a moment, surprised to hear her say that. Since when did Odette get scared by mere words?

He took her hand in his and looked into her eyes, completely serious. "You don't have to be scared to tell me anything. I'm always listening and you can tell me whatever is on your mind whenever you want."

She smiled a little. "Then I can tell you how glad I am that you let Torrance go."

"Were you worried that I wouldn't?"

"Not really. I just don't think that he'll be any trouble in the future."

"There was nothing bad about him, only the company he kept. Did you hear what he said when I asked why he didn't hurt us?"

"I wasn't really listening," she admitted. "I guess I was still worried about Robin."

"He said that it was because of Robin that he couldn't hurt any of us. He told me that when Samael tried to urge Robin into trying to fight, she wouldn't. And when he asked her if she hated him, she said she didn't. Robin told him that she couldn't hate him because she didn't want to lose her humanity.

"She said that to Samael, but it was Torrance who really listened to her. He realized that he wasn't himself anymore because he'd allowed himself to hate and be vengeful. So when Samael told him to kill us, he knew he had to stop."

"And all because of Robin," Odette whispered, a little shocked and impressed at the same time.

Derek nodded.

"Gwen told her that," Odette said. "Her dying words to Robin were 'don't hate.'"

She shook her head in regret.

"I wish I could have met her."

Derek put her arm around her, drawing her close. He kissed the top of her head and said "I'm sure she thought the same of you. But you can't live with your regret. It's not your fault. It wasn't hers. She lived her life and did the best she could with what she had chosen for herself.

"And judging by your longing to meet her and Robin's adoration of her, she lived her life well, even if it was cut short. All that you can do now is be happy. Be happy with yourself, with Robin, and, hopefully, be happy with me."

She smiled up at him, grateful for his wise words.

"I know. You're right. Thank you, Derek, for everything."

"Anything for you. I'm just glad you found what you were looking for."

She nodded.

Even if she didn't find Gwen, even if she was late by a year, she had, indeed, found what she'd wanted all along.


End file.
